Phenomenon
by RadiantKeybladeFantasy
Summary: One year after the defeat of Ultimecia, Rinoa is still adjusting to her sorceress powers. Unfortunately, peace is shattered when Galbadia suddenly ignites a plan that ultimately threatens the very existence of SeeD...with Rinoa as the final key. What exactly is the sorceress' role in their endeavors? And, what is their mysterious, new experiment?
1. A New Threat

_I intend to create an appropriate cover for this story at some point soon. The current one is only temporary, so please be patient._

* * *

**Phenomenon**

**A New Threat**

"What the-? WHOA!" Zell shouted, jumping out of the way of a firaga spell. He hit the ground stomach first as he lay there in shock for a moment.

"Sorry, Zell!" Rinoa hollered, looking at him in a bit of horror.

Zell slowly rose to all fours as he coughed a little from the impact, turning his head toward a nearby wall to see the fire slowly dying down.

He turned his head back toward Rinoa - trying to be calm, but finding it hard to contain.

"Okay…I think that's enough for today."

He shook his head as he stood up, momentarily recalling exactly how close a call that was. He had offered to help Rinoa adjust to her sorceress powers upon her request. She was still not quite used to them, as it had only been a year since she'd become one, and was still afraid of them a little. Since Squall had currently had other matters to attend to around Garden, the ever-friendly, yet hot-headed martial arts master gladly, and proudly, took her up on the offer – not quite knowing what he was getting into. Now, however…he was wondering about that exact thing.

"Please, just a little longer," Rinoa pleaded, "I think I'm getting the hang of it now!"

Zell sighed as he put his hand to his forehead. He wanted to laugh at her words, but when he really thought about it – it wasn't so funny. With the exception of that last instance, thanks to his quick-thinking, he had been hit five times now: one thundaga, two blizzagas, one aero, and one meltdown. The latter had been an accidental cast, but nevertheless – he now knew how it got its name. Any injuries he'd sustained were easily fixed with a cast of Regen – but, he still wanted to quit before he became her personal shish kebob.

"_Man. Squall's got a lot more patience than I thought." _he thought to himself.

He lifted his hand and lightly waved to Rinoa, signifying that he was done – much to her dismay.

At that moment, Squall walked out to witness the scene as he looked around – the dissipating flames of Rinoa's firaga spell still on the wall. He sighed as he closed his eyes, lowering his head as he shook it lightly.

"What are you doing, Zell?"

Rinoa looked at him in delight.

"Squall!"

She quickly ran up and hugged him with a bright smile on her face.

Zell looked over at him, a great expression of relief sweeping over his face as he hurried over toward them.

"Yo! Squall!" he shouted, "Thanks, man! You can take it from here."

Squall let go of Rinoa as he looked at Zell in a bit of frustration.

"Can't you take _anything_ seriously?" he grumbled.

Zell was at a loss for words at that comment as he glanced from Squall to Rinoa for a moment. The look on their faces let him know he was automatically outnumbered. Anytime they were together – it was never the other's fault.

"Have you ever actually done this with her before?" he argued, "It's hell, I tell ya!"

Rinoa looked at Zell in surprise, and a bit of anger, at his remark.

"Hey!" she yelled, "It's not my fault!"

"Frickin' hell!" he replied, clearly shocked by her words.

Squall face-palmed in embarrassment for both of them as he spoke again.

"Lighten up, Zell. She's new at this, remember?"

Rinoa smiled gratefully at his words. Since they had become a couple, she had seen a whole new side to Squall. Despite his seemingly cold and introverted exterior at first glance, he actually proved to be rather decent. It had been hard at first, but over time – she had managed to bring out the better half of him: trustworthy, reliable, and caring – especially when it came to her. He really had come a long way in just a year's time.

Zell decided not to argue with Squall – knowing, for one thing, that he couldn't win. No one could get him to go against Rinoa, no matter the situation. As nice as that was…it also got a bit annoying sometimes.

He sighed as he dropped his head.

"…Never mind. I'll see ya' later."

He stood up straight and saluted Squall before heading back inside Garden.

Squall only looked away at the notion as Zell walked past him. He'd been Commander of SeeD for only a year now, but he still wasn't any more comfortable with it. Everyone now believed they had even _more_ of an excuse to have him solve their problems – or any, for that matter. While he didn't mind the respect, the whole thing was getting old in general. He secretly longed for the days when he was just a regular SeeD – at least life made more sense and was easier then.

Rinoa looked at him in question at his reaction to Zell's salute.

"Squall? What's wrong?"

Squall sighed as he turned his head toward her slowly.

"I'm just a little tired of this whole "Commander" thing," he admitted, "Everyone treats me like I'm a completely different person now just because of my rank."

He looked at the ground for a moment.

"I never asked to be Commander. It just happened. If I'd had a choice…I'd still be a simple SeeD."

Rinoa looked at him in concern as he stared at the ground. She knew he wasn't fond of being Commander, but she had at least thought he'd adjusted to it by now. He was always so busy and taking on his duties with such diligence that she figured he was even enjoying it a little. Hearing him talk about it at this moment, however, she realized exactly how wrong she had been. She felt bad since she'd never thought to ask him about it all. She had just been afraid she might get in the way if she had tried.

She thought for a moment and an idea came to mind.

She looked up at Squall with a light smile – his facial response expressing his confusion as he looked back at her.

"_A whole year and I still can't completely figure her out." _he thought, "What?"

"Why don't you just step down?" she suggested.

Squall was a bit surprised by her words as he stared at her in further bewilderment. Contrary to what she had always thought, he had believed she'd enjoyed him being Commander. Sure, they hadn't gotten to spend much time together, especially lately, but since she hadn't said anything…he thought it was what she had wanted; that she was happy. He didn't understand how though - _he _wasn't.

"Resign?" he asked, his voice requesting verification.

Rinoa nodded.

"Sure," she answered, "Why do something you don't enjoy? That's not fair. It's your life, Squall. Do what you want."

Squall thought on those words for a moment, turning his head away as he closed his eyes. He had never really thought about it, but hearing it now…she had a point. He wasn't really enjoying his new status – it was boring and redundant: the same thing day after day. Besides, with Balamb Garden no longer mobile…was there even really a need for a Commander anymore? Since Ultimecia's defeat, the whole world had pretty much quieted down. Even Galbadia seemed rather peaceful – something that he actually found more suspicious than pleasing, but nevertheless…it was nice to know they weren't causing problems anymore. Without a real purpose for such a role – was it even worth it? The more he thought about it, the more sense it made.

Still though, he couldn't quite find it in him to agree with such an idea. Everyone at Garden looked up to him and counted on him – more than he expected or desired, but he didn't want to let them down just the same. Sure, it had become rather dull over the past year…but, that was the price to pay for peace. As much as he really wanted to…he just couldn't bring himself to accept that decision.

"…I can't." he said, looking at Rinoa again.

Rinoa just smiled at his words.

"That's what I like about you. You put others before yourself."

She put her hand over her heart as she thought back to how things used to be: when Squall was once the last person you'd expect to help someone through a predicament or be concerned with their thoughts and feelings. He used to never trust anybody, instead telling them to go bother someone else with their problems – and sometimes, literally. The memory made her a bit mad to recall, but she smiled again when she thought about how he was now.

"You've changed, Squall." she said, looking up at him again.

Squall looked away once more upon hearing that.

"Everyone keeps telling me that," he grumbled a little, "It's really getting annoying."

Rinoa looked down at the ground – instantly overcome with embarrassment and apology.

Squall saw her reaction and immediately felt regret sweep over him as he looked at her and sighed.

"I'm sorry. I know it's not your fault. I'm just a bit aggravated. I need a break…or something."

Rinoa continued to stare at the ground as an idea suddenly formed in Squall's head. This time, he was the one to smile as he looked at Rinoa again.

"That's it." he said, quietly.

Rinoa looked up at him in question upon hearing him.

"What?"

"Why don't we get out of here for a little while? Just you and me! We can go anywhere you want to go." he answered.

Rinoa was a caught off-guard a little by this suggestion. It had been so sudden. He had never once brought up any ideas or shown much, if any, interest in leaving Garden – especially indefinitely. He had agreed a few times when she'd asked him, but it was only ever a walk of sorts, usually toward Balamb Town - they would always get no more than a mile from Garden and then Squall would have them turn around. Were things really all _that_ bad?

"Squall, are you sure?" she asked, a clear hesitation in her voice, "What about Garden?"

Squall put his hand on her shoulder as he smiled at her – the look in his eyes sincere and compassionate.

"Everything will be fine. We'll only be gone a few hours, tops," he said.

He looked at her closely as he spoke again.

"Just you and me. That's all I want – even for one night."

Rinoa smiled back at him as she laughed a little under her breath. It had been a while since she and Squall had personal time. She had to admit - the thought was definitely enticing. Besides, as sick as he was of his duties as Commander, she was as equally sick of being a sorceress - the constant worry of how and when she'd adjust to her powers was beginning to stress her out. Not to mention, there was still a fear of what might happen to her should people rise up against her for any reason just because of that status. Things seemed fairly calm now and the chances of that were actually rather slim – but, still…the fear lingered, nonetheless. She knew she'd be able to count on Squall were that to happen, but it was still scary to think about.

She stared up at him for a moment – his undying smile a source of comfort for her, and she found herself unable to resist. He really knew how to charm her.

"Okay," she said, softly, as she nodded, "Where? When?"

Squall smiled at her answer as multiple locations immediately came to mind.

"Balamb, Dollet, FH," he said, "Even Timber. Your pick."

Rinoa smiled at his words as she thought for a moment. As much as she loved Timber, it was a little too far away, and she had seen enough of Balamb by now to last her a lifetime. That helped her narrow it down to FH and Dollet. Both were good locations, but Dollet definitely had the more romantic spots – and better food, in her opinion. Even though it was in Galbadia, as long as she was with Squall…she didn't care too much. Besides, she still wasn't quite fond of Mayor Dobe's attitude towards Squall just because he was a SeeD. She still couldn't forget how rude he'd been when Balamb had nearly crashed into FH the year before. Squall, representing Garden, had been anything but unpleasant – speaking firmly and straightforward, being honest, and just trying to be friendly in general – yet, the mayor and his wife were anything but accepting – a fact she found interesting since they had claimed to be so peaceful. It was thoughts like that which made her decision easy.

"Dollet." she said, happily.

"Alright," Squall said, smiling back, "How about tomorrow night?"

Rinoa just smiled once again as she hugged him, the SeeD holding her close with a warm embrace.

They slowly let go of each other and Squall looked at Rinoa again.

"It's settled then," he said, nodding lightly, "Dollet. Tomorrow – seven o'clock."

Rinoa just nodded in response and Squall kissed her real quick before they both headed back inside Garden.

* * *

"President Deling, sir," General Caraway said, as he stood at the door of the President's room.

Deling turned around and smiled at the sight of the General.

"Ah! General Caraway. Do come in."

General Caraway walked toward Deling's desk and stopped a couple feet short of it as he looked at the President in silence – standing straight and proud as he awaited to hear what he'd been summoned for.

Deling sat down at his desk as he took a breath.

"I'll get right to the point," he said, "I'd like to promote you to Commander."

General Caraway was speechless at his words as he looked at him in a bit of surprise, and confusion, for a moment.

"Me, sir?"

Deling looked around the room with a sarcastic expression.

"Do you have a problem with that?" he asked, a bit aggravated.

"No, sir," the General replied, "Thank you, sir."

Deling stood up and faced the General.

"Good," he said, "Your first order of business is to reorganize the Galbadian Army as soon as possible."

General Caraway was a bit taken aghast by the apparent haste. He didn't understand why he need do such a thing. From what he could recall, there were no threats toward Galbadia any time recently - and the army had been severely cut down in numbers due to the prior year's endeavors. Given such, even if he were to regather their forces...there was little chance of them being as effective as before. It was an odd request indeed and he could only look at the president in wonder.

"May I ask why, sir?"

Deling looked at him with an irate expression.

"Questioning your superiors, Commander?" he said, sternly

"No, sir," the General quickly replied, "Excuse my impertinence, sir."

"Good," Deling replied, "I have high expectations of you, Commander. You'd do well to remember that. Dismissed."

General Caraway nodded as Deling turned away from him.

"Sir."

Before he could get out the door, however, Deling spoke one last time.

"Oh, and…Commander."

"Sir." Caraway replied, turning back around immediately.

Deling looked down at his desk at a map of the world, his eyes attracted to a specific spot as he spoke again.

"We'll also be requiring the assistance of a third party." he said, in a sly tone.

Caraway was curious, and a bit suspicious, as he looked at Deling intently.

"...Sir?"

Deling smirked as his eyes remained locked on the map.

"…Get me in touch with Esthar."


	2. Warnings Unheeded

**Phenomenon**

**Warnings Unheeded**

Quistis was going through her planner at her desk when she heard a voice emerge from the door to her office.

"Headmaster Trepe?"

She lifted her head at the sound of her name to find Nida standing before her. He stood straight and calm – his face bearing a friendly, yet serious expression. She could only wonder what could be on his mind given such – and the tone with which he'd said her name.

"Nida," she said, questioningly, "What can I help you with?"

Nida was quick to respond – wasting no time in bringing up the matter at hand.

"Xu is here. She requested to see you."

"Xu?" she asked, with a surprised expression as she tipped her head, "Send her in."

Nida nodded and looked toward the door – Xu immediately walking in as she headed right for Quistis' desk. Her face, though friendly like Nida's, bore an expression that sent a sense of discomfort through the young headmaster's body. She knew her friend well enough to know when something was wrong. She just wasn't sure she wanted to know what it was.

Xu approached her desk quietly, one hand grabbing her wrist at the waist, as she looked at Quistis head on. She stopped as she got up next to Nida.

Quistis and Xu were silent for a moment as they looked at each other. Xu seemed hesitant to speak – which fit perfectly with Quistis' hesitation to hear what was on her mind. She had been enjoying the apparent peace and joy since Ultimecia's defeat. Did all of that really have to end already?

Quistis sighed as she looked at Xu intently.

"So…what's your reason for being here today?" she asked, trying to hide the dread that was rapidly rising inside of her.

Xu took a deep breath as she finally spoke.

"Actually…I was hoping to find Squall here," she stated, "Do you know where he is?"

Quistis glanced from Xu to Nida and back in a bit of confusion.

"Um…no, I haven't seen him in the last hour or so," she explained, "He's been rather busy these days – taking care of Garden and all of that. He is Commander, after all."

Xu nodded her head in understanding.

"Right, well…do you think you could call him up here?" she asked, "It's…rather urgent, I'm afraid."

Just like that, Quistis' feeling of dread and discomfort quickly overwhelmed her. She knew right then that the peace their world had been enjoying for little more than a year now was somehow over. Whatever had happened…things were once again about to turn upside down. Her stomach dropped at such a thought. They had barely been able to enjoy themselves since defeating Ultimecia – and just when she thought things might truly be back to normal…everything suddenly came down in an instant. She hadn't even heard the news Xu was so anxious to share, but she could already tell she didn't really need to either. Her tone of voice and unwillingness to let them in on it was more than enough for the young headmaster. She could only imagine how Squall might take it.

She was hesitant to reach for the microphone. Squall was already busy enough these days and even she could tell he was getting a bit tired of his work. She felt bad to bring this down on him. It was the last thing he would need right now.

To stall a bit so she could make sure it was really necessary to involve Squall, she looked back at Xu – trying to keep her intentions in the dark.

"What's the problem exactly?" she asked, curiously.

Xu didn't answer for a moment – a fact that only served to further Quistis' discomfort. She was nearly getting sick from the awkward and uncomfortable tension in the room.

However, the SeeD sighed lightly to herself as she decided she might as well let the new headmaster in on the news. It concerned her, and everyone else as well, after all – not just Squall.

"Well…" she said, quietly, reluctant to burden them with the heavy news, "It's about Galbadia."

Quistis and Nida exchanged looks as they glanced at each other and back at Xu - the SeeD maintaining her composure as she spoke again.

"I've recently received some…disquieting news, if I may so." she explained.

Interestingly enough, despite the heavy dread that loomed over her, Quistis still couldn't help but be a bit intrigued by the SeeD's words.

"How disquieting?" she asked.

Xu looked at her closely.

"…From what I heard, they may be planning something," she explained, vaguely, "I don't know what it is just yet though."

Quistis thought on her words for a moment. None of this really made sense. Galbadia would have no reason to engage in any kind of suspicious activity after the fall of Ultimecia. The Garden had since been grounded and over time, the students had moved to Trabia to help rebuild while some now attended Balamb. Since Deling was killed, Galbadia and its citizens, the army included, were actually rather relaxed nowadays - even the new president, despite who he was, had seemed to be fairly quiet - as suspicious as that was to her. She couldn't imagine what could possibly have happened for everything to change so suddenly.

She looked back at Xu.

"Are you sure you heard right? It's just so...sudden."

Xu only shrugged as she shook her head at her words.

"I know. I was a bit surprised and doubtful at first as well," she replied, "However…"

She looked down for a moment as she took another breath.

"…My sources are completely reliable," she said, "I know for a fact they wouldn't lie – especially about something like this."

She looked at Quistis again.

"I don't know what's going on in Galbadia, but nevertheless…we should be prepared – just in case."

Quistis looked at Nida for a moment, the latter only nodding lightly in agreement with Xu as Quistis caved – closing her eyes and dropping her head in reluctance as she shook it lightly. Still not wanting to bring this burden on Squall, but knowing there was no way around it, she slowly reached for the microphone. However, to avoid worry and commotion throughout Garden, she tried to make the announcement subtle - yet with enough urgency for Squall to catch on.

"_Squall, your presence is requested at the bridge. Please report."_

She turned back to Xu after shutting off the microphone.

"Hopefully he caught on." she said, a bit worried that she might not have been subtle enough.

They waited silently and anxiously for Squall to come to the bridge. Quistis could only dread further over the thought of how he would react upon hearing the news that awaited him.

* * *

In a few short minutes, Squall walked into Quistis' office to be greeted by the sight of Nida and Xu – immediately serving to confuse, and somewhat discomfort him, as he looked at them in question.

"Xu?" he asked.

"Commander." she replied, bowing her head lightly in respect as she looked at him. Squall immediately looked away at her gesture.

"I have some news of the utmost importance." she stated.

Squall sighed under his breath as he looked at the floor – his stomach tying in knots as he could only imagine what might be on her mind. Things had been going far too well and smoothly lately – so, it was certainly the best time for this moment to come up.

He looked back at Xu intently as she began to explain the matter at hand.

"We have reason to believe Galbadia may be up to something. We don't quite know for sure why or what, but there's definitely a concern."

Squall put one hand on his waist as he looked at her for a moment.

"Where'd you hear about this?" he asked, a hint of suspicion, and annoyance, in his voice.

"I'm always up-to-date." she said, calmly.

Squall folded his arms as he looked away again.

"_This world just can't leave well enough alone, can it?"_ he thought, angrily.

Quistis, Xu, and Nida looked at him in question and concern as he stood in silence for a moment.

"Squall?" Quistis asked.

Squall slowly turned his head back toward them – trying not to be obvious as to the frustration he was quickly being overcome with, but still finding it hard to refrain completely.

"What exactly are you proposing we do?" he asked, "Without sufficient information we don't know how to act; how to prepare. What kind of precautions are we supposed to take?"

Xu was dumbfounded by his words. They had been so sudden and rather displeasing – his curt tone only serving to confuse and shock them even more. They thought for sure Squall, of all people, would have been the first to take action and plan ahead on the situation.

"I…I don't know yet really," Xu said, quietly, "I only know what I heard; what I was told. Galbadia is apparently trying to get their army back together – probably as we speak. That's really all for now."

She looked at him closely.

"But, from past experience, we know for a fact the Galbadian Army would not mobilize if they had no intentions of taking action."

Quistis couldn't help but agree as she nodded lightly to herself.

Squall sighed as he thought to himself once again.

"It still doesn't make sense," he mumbled, "Deling is no longer in charge and Edea nor Ultimecia are a threat anymore."

He looked at Xu again.

"Something about this doesn't seem right to me."

Xu shook her head in understanding of his perspective as she looked back at Quistis in anticipation. The young headmaster nodded lightly once again as she stepped forward from behind her desk – looking at Squall intently as she stepped up next to Xu.

"About that…" she said, glancing at the floor.

She went silent for a moment – a sight that made Squall rather uneasy and further confused as he looked at her in question and anticipation.

"It's true," she said, "Vinzer Deling is obviously dead: killed by Sorceress Ultimecia last year. However…"

She thought on her words for a moment – recalling exactly how much they had taken her by surprise when she'd learned of such the first time. It was still rather hard to grasp. It had been so unexpected. She still couldn't see how it was possible, and yet…the proof stood there in the Presidential Residence of Deling City – still appropriately dubbed.

Squall looked at Quistis, a bit annoyed by the constant pauses of drama, as he waited for her to speak again.

The former SeeD lifted her head again to look at Squall once more as she finally continued.

"What most people aren't aware of…is that Vinzer had a son."

Squall's expression immediately changed to one of complete shock at her words. Had he really heard right? How in the world could Vinzer Deling have a son and no one know about it? It just seemed so surreal – at the least.

"Vinzer? Are you serious?" he asked, hoping he'd misheard somehow.

Quistis and Xu only nodded in response.

"His existence was kept in the dark all this time for, we believe…a means of security and deception." Quistis stated.

"We feel that Vinzer figured if no one knew about his son – knowing how most citizens felt about him - his death, giving Galbadians peace of mind from his tyranny, would allow for them to drop their guard upon believing his rule had ended," Xu added, "Then, at that time, his son could rise to power unexpectedly, continuing his ruthless and malevolent reign upon the unprepared and fearful populace."

Squall turned his head away and sighed once again, now shaking his head lightly as he thought on their words. Put that way, it actually was easy to believe now. He hadn't known much about Deling, but what he had learned in his short time in Deling City last year, had been enough to allow him to see and understand exactly the kind of person he had been. It was no surprise really that he would be able to keep such a secret to himself – even all the way to his grave. Now, knowing that Deling's offspring sat in his office today…he could clearly see how and that Galbadia may prove to be a problem after all. This unexpected news fit all the pieces together that he'd previously thought were unclear.

"_Are you kidding me?" _he thought to himself, rather annoyed at the whole predicament.

He turned his head to the other side as he kept thinking to himself for a moment.

"_I can't believe Deling had a son. Things just got really bad, didn't they?"_

Xu dropped her head a little as she recalled one more bit of information that was certain to cause more unrest for the other three. Still though…it also couldn't afford to be overlooked – as the contents of such news would certainly be cause for alarm even if Galbadia alone wasn't.

"There's also…one more thing," she said, in a quiet voice.

Quistis, Nida, and Squall looked at her in surprise and curiosity as she sighed – the words slowly emerging from her mouth. She was hesitant to speak, as the thought on her mind just seemed so unlikely, but nevertheless…she couldn't let it go unacknowledged.

"I've also been told that Galbadia has gotten in touch with Esthar." she explained.

Quistis and Nida's eyes got wide at her words while Squall remained unalarmed – just shaking his head lightly in denial.

"I seriously doubt we have anything to worry about as far as that's concerned."

They wanted to believe him, but Xu still had her doubts. As right as Squall was, when it came to Galbadia…they couldn't afford to overlook anything – no matter how farfetched it might seem.

"Maybe so," she said, "But still…isn't it better we stay alert just in case? This is a serious matter. We can't afford to take any chances."

Squall turned his head away once again.

"Galbadia is a problem, yes," he said, "But, as for Esthar…I think we'll be alright."

Xu got a bit annoyed as she looked at Squall in a bit of frustration.

"How can you be so sure? You're taking this way too lightly."

Squall sighed as he looked at the floor. He hated the thought that had come to mind, as it was still so hard to accept. However…it was also that very same thought that filled him with such certainty – allowing him to easily take it so "lightly". Though he hadn't really taken time to get to know Laguna more upon finding out they were related, he still knew enough to know what he was saying was true. Since the defeat of Adel and Ultimecia, Esthar hadn't exactly returned to being the "Silent Country", but had still decided to refrain from outside matters – ironically, becoming exactly what Mayor Dobe of FH had once envisioned for it. They didn't engage in military activity unless threatened directly. Maybe they'd make exceptions for Balamb, but in general…they were neutral.

"I just know, okay," he said, "…Trust me."

Xu and Nida looked at each other in question and confusion and Xu turned to Quistis – the former Seed merely nodding her head to ensure her of Squall's words, knowing the meaning behind what he was saying.

Although still a bit uncertain, Xu nevertheless complied – reluctantly, at that, as she nodded lightly in response.

"…Fine," she said, in a low voice, "Either way, what are we doing to do? We can't just lay back like nothing is happening."

Squall didn't reply as he appeared to think to himself again – looking away once more as he closed his eyes. This was too much. It had only been a year since things had calmed down and yet, another threat was encroaching upon them. How? Why? When would it ever end?

"_Like I really needed _this_ right now," _he thought, _"What is going on? Why can't things just settle down and stay that way? What is it going to take?"_

He thought more on Xu's news for another moment as he dropped his head a little.

"_What could Galbadia possibly be up to? They have no reason to start another war – especially so soon. It doesn't make sense."_

Again, Xu and Quistis were a bit troubled by Squall's silence as the young headmaster slowly stepped toward him – holding her hand out a little.

"Squall…?"

The young Commander turned back to them upon hearing his name as he took a deep breath.

"Look," he said, "Right now, all we have is pretty much speculation. Until we can be sure, we can't really take precautionary measures if we don't know what we're up against."

He looked at Quistis, Xu, and Nida closely as he kept speaking.

"Let's just keep a low profile right now; try not to let them know in any way that we're aware of what they're doing. If anything more comes up, let me know. Until then…we'll just carry on as we have been for now."

He folded his arms as he glanced at the floor.

"I know it sounds stupid and reckless, but it's really all we can do right now."

He looked ahead again at the trio before him.

"Just keep it to yourselves for the time being," he said, his words sounding like an order, "I don't want to cause discomfort and unrest among everyone else."

Quistis, Xu, and Nida all nodded in unison at his words.

"Understood." Xu nodded, bowing once again as Nida did the same.

"We'll keep a close eye on Galbadia for now." Quistis said.

Squall nodded in agreement.

"Alright. Later." he mumbled, turning around and heading back toward the elevator.

Xu turned back to Quistis as soon as he was out of sight.

"Do you think he believed any of it?" she asked, a bit doubtful.

Quistis laughed lightly as she put her hand to her mouth.

"Trust me," she said, "Squall may seem uncaring, but he listens – especially when it comes to matters like this. I'm sure he believes it. He probably just won't act on it until he has real proof. It's sort of his way of taking "precautionary measures". He believes that acting too soon is a sign of desperation, which only results in panic, and ultimately, failure."

Xu thought on those words for a moment and realized they made sense. It was a great relief to her, and everyone, that Quistis understood Squall so well.

"Okay, so then we focus on the other matter at hand." she said.

Quistis and Nida looked at her in surprise upon hearing those sudden words.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Xu took a deep breath as she thought back to the conversation from which she had acquired this information.

"I think the Galbadian Army may just be a ploy; a cover for Deling's true intentions."


	3. Fallout

**Phenomenon**

**Fallout**

"Sir," Caraway said, as he entered President Deling's office once again, "The Galbadian Army is mobilized – as you've requested."

Deling smirked at his words as he looked at Caraway.

"Good. Excellent work, Commander."

Caraway was still curious as to why he'd had to do such a thing to begin with. It was a bit uncomforting, and suspicious, that Deling had yet to reveal his intentions for doing so. If he was truly any part of what was going on, he felt he had a right to be let in on it. Why was he being kept in the dark?

However, despite his unease, Caraway refrained from speaking up on the matter. He quickly came to the conclusion that, whatever Deling's intentions were, he must have a reason for not sharing them. A soldier never questioned orders - no matter how strange they may be.

"What would you have the army do now, sir?" he asked, calmly.

Deling was silent for a moment as he glanced down at his desk again.

"…Nothing at the moment," he answered.

Caraway was now even more confused than before by his response. It only served to further fuel his suspicions on the whole situation. If they had no current use for their forces…why regroup them? Things weren't fitting together at all. Had the president suddenly lost his mind? Did he see his position of power as some sort of game? This thought angered the new commander as he reflected on it for a moment.

The young president looked at the commander again – seeing him still standing there in silence as he seemingly awaited another order.

"…That is all," he said, "Dismissed."

Caraway looked at him in question for a moment. It was so hard to resist asking, but he did his best to refrain, nonetheless. Despite how odd the sudden situation was…he had to hope it would all make sense in time – before too long.

"…Sir." he said, quietly.

He slowly turned around and walked back toward the entrance to the residence – Deling watching him closely as he went out of sight.

"Hmm…" he mumbled, looking down at his desk again.

* * *

Rinoa searched around Garden looking for Squall. After the announcement from Quistis, she had yet to see him since – and it was beginning to worry her greatly. Everyone she'd asked so far had given the same answer and now…she was running out of places to look. She knew Garden well enough over the past year to know when she'd searched every possible location. She'd even taken it upon herself to scour the MD Level – but, even down there, her search had come to a dead end. What had gone on in the office of the young headmaster to make Squall pull a disappearing act?

"_Where is he?" _she thought to herself, nervously, _"This isn't like him at all."_

She walked up to the elevator and lifted her head – staring up toward the high ceiling as she thought to herself again for a moment.

"…Maybe…"

Though she didn't really think it likely, she still had to know for sure. She quickly boarded the elevator and took it to the top floor – Quistis' office.

* * *

Quistis and Nida heard the elevator stop at the office as they looked toward it in question – the sight of Rinoa stepping out immediately surprising the two.

"Rinoa?" Quistis asked, stepping out from behind her desk.

The young sorceress looked at her friend – the expression on her face immediately confusing, yet intriguing Quistis as she looked back at her.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

Rinoa glanced around for a moment.

"Um, well…" she stuttered, "I was looking for Squall. No one's seen him since he came up here – so I thought…maybe…"

Quistis shook her head lightly in understanding.

"I see," she said, "Unfortunately though…Squall went back to his duties about a half hour ago. I haven't seen him since either."

Rinoa sighed – now a bit tired of hearing that response as she looked at the floor.

"…Right."

Quistis and Nida glanced at each other before turning back to Rinoa.

"Don't worry, Rinoa," Quistis said, "He's around here somewhere."

"Yeah," Nida replied, nodding in agreement, "Squall wouldn't leave Garden without notice first, after all."

Rinoa lowered her head again, nodding in agreement at their words. Still though, even if they were right…it was still strange of Squall to just disappear like that. Garden was only so big after all. Someone would have certainly seen him by now were he still in the vicinity…right? And, even if not…why would he go so far as to even keep his whereabouts from her? Something had to have happened in order for him to keep it such a secret– but, she couldn't imagine what.

She lifted her head again and noticed the weird look on the faces of the two SeeDs before her. It was as if they were hiding something from her – a thought that made her rather uncomfortable. Then, she also had to wonder…did it pertain to Squall? Did they truthfully know where he was? If so, why keep it a secret from her? Had he, for some reason, asked them to? And, if so…why? So many questions quickly swirled in her head as she stood there in silence with a curious expression.

"What's…going on?" she asked, trying not to sound too suspicious.

Quistis and Nida didn't reply for a moment. It was obvious to her something was on their mind – but, whatever it was…they didn't seem willing to share.

"Come on. Tell me," she said, quietly, "Is it about Squall? Did something happen to him?"

Her voice had a tone of fear and worry in it with that last question as she looked at them in a bit of horror. However, her fears were quickly allayed as they shook their heads.

"Squall's fine, I'm sure," Quistis said, "There's no need to worry about him."

Rinoa relaxed as she looked at them calmly again.

"Well…what is it then? Can't you tell me?"

The two SeeDs, again, exchanged looks before turning back to Rinoa with the same expression on their faces.

"I'm sorry, Rinoa," Nida said, a sincere tone of apology in his voice, "We're just a little busy right now."

Quistis quickly nodded in agreement as she walked toward the sorceress.

"Yes," she said, "We have a lot to attend to at the moment, so we really need to get back to work. I'm sorry."

Rinoa glanced from Quistis to Nida and back before sighing once again as she looked at the floor.

"…Okay."

She slowly lifted her head one last time to look at them again.

"But, if you see Squall…could you tell him I'm worried about him? I'd really appreciate it."

Quistis and Nida both nodded in unison as a light smile formed on the blond's face.

"…Of course," the young headmaster said, in a gentle tone, "There's nothing to worry about."

Rinoa smiled lightly at her words as she slowly turned toward the elevator and made her descent back to the main floor. Quistis, however, dropped her head in regret as she reflected on their conversation.

"…I was afraid of that." she mumbled, as she closed her eyes.

She sighed to herself as she stood there in silence for a moment.

"Squall…I'm sorry."

* * *

Unaware of Rinoa's concern for his whereabouts, Squall was in the Training Center. The sudden bombardment of the current state of affairs, combined with his growing frustrations of being Commander of SeeD, had begun to greatly affect him. He had to relieve his aggressions – and using monsters as a punching bag was far better than taking it out on another person. Besides…it gave him a much desired opportunity to keep his skills sharpened.

He yelled loudly as he jumped into the air, coming down on a Grat as he slammed his Lionheart down on top of it as hard as he could. The monster quickly sliced in half and Squall immediately proceeded to slash at another one to his right – the battle ending in a matter of mere moments.

He held his gunblade tight with both hands as he glared angrily at the now empty space before him. Though it helped to relieve his frustration, the battles the Training Center provided still proved to be a little too easy, unfortunately. This fact only served to fuel his frustrations a little more, really, but at least it was a plus to know he was still in top form when it came to fighting. Sure, it may have only been a year since he'd actually used his gunblade – but, for someone whom had saved the entire world and traversed time to stop a malevolent sorceress in the distant future…that felt like a long time.

"Son of a-"

"Squall?" a voice hollered across the vicinity.

He quickly turned his head to see Rinoa hurrying toward him.

"Rinoa?" he asked, a bit surprised as he stood up straight.

He watched her as she quickly approached – a bright smile on her face upon having finally found him. She couldn't imagine why she hadn't thought to look here sooner.

"There you are!" she said, happily, as she slowed down a little – quickly hugging him before she could come to a complete stop.

Squall was a bit confused by her actions and words as she slowly let go of him.

"I've been looking for you," she said, "I haven't seen you since you left for Quistis' office. I was afraid something had happened."

He looked away at her words. She had no idea exactly how spot-on she was. Something _had_ happened while he was in the office – and to think about it again only allowed for his aggravation to return. All he had just relieved himself of, he could feel instantly coming back to him just like that. It angered him somewhat that just a few, simple words could completely reverse what he had just worked to free himself of. The irony of the situation was immensely irritating.

Rinoa looked at him closely for a moment – an expression of concern sweeping over her face as she stared at him in question.

"Squall? Are you okay? What's wrong?"

Squall sighed as he turned his head back toward her.

"…It's nothing. I'm sorry I worried you."

Rinoa glanced at the floor as she lightly clutched her pendant.

"…It's okay."

She lifted her head once more to look at him again.

"I'm just glad you're alright," she said, smilingly lightly, "What are you doing in here?"

Squall glanced around the area for a moment. It was a rather weird question given the whole purpose of its existence.

"I was just…brushing up," he said, "I saw an opportunity for once, so I took it. No big deal."

"...I didn't say it was..." Rinoa replied, a hint of suspicion in her voice.

Squall went silent again and Rinoa began to feel a sense of discomfort rise inside of her – like she'd felt in Quistis' office. She didn't know why, but it felt like everyone was keeping something from her. What was going on? Why all the sudden secrecy? What were the matters Quistis and Nida had to attend to? Did they have anything to do with Squall being in this very spot right now? Again, she was overcome with questions she couldn't even begin to figure out. Squall had been just fine the last time she'd seen him – before he'd been summoned to meet with Quistis. Now, all of a sudden…he was behaving completely different: kind of like how he had been when they'd first met. It was a bit disheartening, to say the least. What exactly had gone on while he was up there? It was the one question she couldn't let go of.

"Squall, what's going on?" she asked, "You're acting strange all of a sudden. You've never doubted yourself enough to have to "brush up" before. It doesn't make sense."

Squall folded his arms as he looked away again for a moment.

"I told you, it's nothing," he said, a hint of agitation in his voice, "I just needed a break from everything."

Rinoa sighed at his words. Despite how believable they were, she still couldn't help but feel there was something he wasn't telling her – which was exactly how she'd felt while in Quistis' office. It only brought the question back to light: what exactly had gone on while Squall was up there?

"Squall, it's okay," she said, in a quiet voice, "If there's something bothering you – you can talk to me about it. It's not like I'll hold it against you or anything."

Squall turned his head back toward her once again with a straight face.

"There's nothing to talk about," he said, in a cold tone, "I'm fine, alright."

His words and tone of voice caught her off-guard as she looked at him in surprise. Why was he suddenly getting so defensive? What had she said that was so wrong? Everything that had come from her mouth was out of sheer concern, after all. It wasn't like she was trying to pry. She just wanted him to know she was there for him. When had that suddenly become such a problem?

Squall sighed heavily as he realized his mistake.

"…Sorry. I've just got a lot on my mind right now."

Rinoa was curious about this news as she tipped her head lightly.

"Like what?" she asked, in an innocent tone.

Squall shook his head lightly at her question. He really didn't want to talk about it right now – or anything, for that matter. He thought he'd just made that rather clear a moment ago. Why did she still insist on trying to persuade him to open up? Some things really were better left unsaid.

As he stood there in silence, still unwilling to talk to her, Rinoa was now growing impatient. On top of that, given his brief lash at her, she now knew for certain that something was on his mind – and it was clearly affecting him. Why was he so insistent on keeping it to himself when she was only trying to help? It was the one thing about him that still drove her crazy. Apparently, she hadn't gotten through to him as much in the past year as she'd originally thought.

"Come on. Tell me," she said, in a gentle voice, "I really want to know what's on your mind. I'm worried about you."

Squall still didn't reply – just keeping his thoughts and feelings on the matter to himself as he continued to stand there in silence. It wasn't that he didn't want her help. He just didn't want her to feel the weight of such news like he did. It had ruined his day completely. Why should she have to go through the same ordeal? Despite the fact that his secrecy was clearly hurting her, he couldn't bear to burden her the same way he was. It wouldn't be fair. Besides, she was already fearful enough of the Galbadian forces. Why give her an even bigger reason to fret? Even though he could only imagine what she might think from his silence – it was better he keep it to himself…for her sake.

"Just forget it," he mumbled, "I don't feel like talking right now, okay?"

Rinoa looked at him in a bit of surprise by his attitude.

"Squall, I'm only trying to help, you know." she said, a clear tone of frustration in her voice.

The rising tension between the couple filled them both with exasperation – Squall from the matters surrounding Galbadia, and Rinoa from Squall. However, the young sorceress' pestering, as good intentions as she had, was also becoming a source of aggravation for him. Why couldn't she just leave him alone and let him deal with this one thing on his own time? She didn't need to get involved in every aspect of his life. Was he no longer entitled to his secrets just because they were now an item? This whole situation only fueled his emotion further. He tried to keep quiet so as not to lash out at her again, but it was becoming harder. He wished she'd just stop and leave it alone. He didn't want to take it out on her – and that was exactly what he was afraid he'd end up doing if this continued, as much as he tried to refrain from such. It wasn't that she had no business knowing - he just couldn't really say anything about the matters at hand until he found out more. What was the point in involving others in such a thing without proper evidence? Though he trusted Xu, her words alone still weren't quite enough. He needed to know for himself before he could be completely sure of anything.

"Did I do something?" Rinoa asked, as she lowered her head a little.

Squall sighed as he kept his head turned away from her.

"Rinoa, please. It's got nothing to do with you, alright?"

His words only flustered her more as she looked at him closely. If that was the case, if it didn't have anything to do with her; if she hadn't done anything wrong…then why couldn't he tell her? What made it so hard for him to talk to her?

"…Then what?" she asked, "What's going on? Just tell me. If I didn't do anything, then why can't you just talk to me?"

"I just don't want to," he answered, in a harsh tone, "Will you just let it go?"

"No!" Rinoa quickly replied, "I won't back off until you at least give me some idea. Why can't you tell me what's wrong? What are you so afraid of anyway?"

Squall finally reached his peak. Rinoa's constant questions and pestering had now pushed him to his limit and he'd had all he could take. He didn't need this right now. When would everything stop piling up? Why couldn't things just be simple? Why couldn't he just be left alone? Without thinking, he suddenly lashed out at her.

"I already told you," he answered, a tone of annoyance in his voice, "I can't explain it. It doesn't even concern you anyway! Why are you always prying into stuff that's none of your business?! I wish, for once, that you'd just listen when someone said "no"! Things don't always work that way. You can't get by in life expecting everybody you meet to be as open as you!"

Rinoa gasped at his words as she took a step back. How could he say such a thing? How could he be so hurtful towards her and not realize it? She had only been concerned about him and he had to go and say such cold and callous words to her for that? She was just trying to help. She hadn't been aware it was such a problem to be so caring – especially towards someone she really cared about. As much as his words tore at her – she at least now knew how he really felt.

She nodded her head lightly as she looked at the floor again.

"…I'm sorry. If I'd known it was such a problem to you that I cared so much, I wouldn't have come here."

She looked toward Squall – the SeeD noticing, all too late this time, exactly what he'd said – and he wished right away that he could take it back.

Rinoa sighed as she dropped her head again.

"Let's just forget about it – about everything," she said, "…We can even forget about tomorrow night."

Squall's eyes got wide at that last sentence as he looked at her in shock.

Rinoa closed her eyes for a moment as a tear rolled down her face. She hated to be saying this, but it needed to be. It was clear to her Squall was under a lot of stress – and it wasn't like she couldn't understand why. If he needed time to himself, she was okay with that – no matter what she had to sacrifice in order for him to have it. His well-being was more important to her. They could spend time together at any point they wished - perhaps under better circumstances next time.

She lifted her head toward Squall again, but found herself unable to actually look at him as her eyes stationed on a rock in the distance.

"It was a stupid idea anyway," she said, shaking her head hard from the pain and anger at what was happening, "I don't want to be another burden on you, Squall. I care about you too much."

Her tears suddenly started rolling down her face faster as she began sniffling a little now. Squall was overcome with regret at his words. He didn't know why he'd said them – they had just come out of nowhere. It was one of those moments where he wished he could go back in time take it all back. He hadn't meant to hurt her. He hadn't even meant to say anything at all. It was exactly what he'd been hoping to avoid – and it had happened anyway, just as he'd feared. Now, he'd hurt Rinoa, of all people...and no matter what he would try to say next – nothing could erase what it caused.

"...I'm sorry," she said, wincing tightly as she forced more tears from her eyes, "This was my fault. Don't blame yourself for this one. Please?"

She quickly turned around and ran out of the Training Center as Squall took a step forward with his hand out – watching her with an expression of guilt and apology that dug deep inside him. He couldn't believe what he'd just done. He couldn't believe he'd really just chased off the one person whom he truly cared about – and cared just as much about him. It was a horrible feeling to know he'd just strained the best relationship he may ever have. He had promised Rinoa he would always be there for her and keep her safe no matter what – yet, ironically…he'd been the very first person to hurt her. She hadn't deserved anything he'd said to her. How could he ever take it back now? Was there any possible way to make up for it? He smoldered with anger at himself for having allowed such words to slip from his mouth. If it was possible, he'd kick his own ass for being such a cold, heartless idiot to the person he claimed to love.

"_Dammit!" _he thought to himself, as he turned his head to the side hard – clenching his teeth behind closed lips as he glared at the ground.

At that moment, he felt something come up behind him and quickly whipped out his Lionheart – immediately thrusting his sword to the side hard just in time to slash a Grenaldo without even moving his head. The overgrown insect-like monster instantly fell onto the ground in two parts behind him while he glared ahead angrily at everything that had just happened.


	4. Doubt and Certainty

**Phenomenon**

**Doubt and Certainty**

Nida came back into Quistis' office from the bridge to see the young headmaster sitting at her desk with her forehead in her hands. The sight of her in such a position made him a little uncomfortable, in the least, as he slowly approached her.

"Quistis…?"

"Hm?" she mumbled, slowly lifting her head off her hands to see Nida standing before her – his face bearing an expression of great concern as they looked at each other in silence for a moment.

"Oh. Nida. What is it?"

The SeeD was hesitant to speak as he continued to stare at her for a moment. He didn't want to seem like he was prying, but he couldn't help but worry about her. She appeared to be under a bit of stress and he wanted to help any way he could.

"If I may ask…are you alright?" he said, a bit shyly.

Quistis sighed lightly as she glanced down at her desk – a slight smile forming at the corner of her mouth at Nida's words. It was a nice feeling to know that someone cared about her well-being, too. For some reason, the majority of students at Garden had gotten the idea that, just because of her position, she never fretted or stressed. In response, she did her best to paint herself in that very image so as not to bring any sort of unrest among the students, especially the newcomers – but, when everything became too much…she couldn't help but show it.

"…I'm fine," she said, quietly, "Thank you, Nida."

Nida didn't reply as he looked at her again in silence. It was more than obvious to him that things were quite the opposite. Her actions and facial expression said more than her words as she, again, sat quietly in her seat looking at her desk. It was an unsettling scene that lay before him. Whatever was bothering Quistis…he didn't want her to bear it alone. He couldn't imagine why she would seemingly be willing to either.

Though he was afraid of somehow making things worse on her, or getting on her nerves, he couldn't help but speak up just the same – thinking on his words carefully as he slowly brought them out.

"Quistis…it's me. Come on. You can tell me anything, you know."

Quistis sighed once more as she slowly sat back in her seat. She really didn't feel like talking – a fact that surprised her, as she sat silently for a moment. Nida tipped his head a little as he looked at her in anticipation.

She shook her head lightly to herself as everything came to the front of her mind at once. It was all so sudden; so quick to pile on that it was just too much. She knew Nida was just doing his best to help as a friend, but she'd rather have just been left alone for now.

Still…as she looked back at Nida – the kind, gentle expression on the young, shy SeeD's face, she couldn't help but open up to him. The amount of compassion he yielded made him rather endearing, to say the least. Maybe it was just his personality; something special about him that made people spill their emotions and thoughts out to him. Whatever it was…she found herself unable to contain what was on her mind any longer as she finally gave in.

"I'm just…," she mumbled, "I guess I'm a little worried."

Nida looked at her in question.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"This whole thing with Esthar," Quistis explained, "I don't want to believe it, but the more I think about it…the more true it seems to be."

Nida thought on her words for a moment as he reflected on their earlier conversation with Xu. It didn't make sense to him. She had seemed so certain that Esthar was nothing to be concerned about. Why this sudden change of perspective on the matter? Where had this sudden doubt and fear come from?

"You really think Esthar might turn against Balamb – siding with Galbadia all of a sudden?" he asked, a tone of shock clear in his voice.

Quistis folded her arms as she sat back in her seat again.

"…I don't know. It's too hard to imagine, but what else is there? We haven't heard a word from Laguna – and if anything were going wrong in Esthar, he'd have let us know by now."

She closed her eyes as she thought on everything. She hated to be saying and thinking what she was, but what else _could_ she think? She knew Laguna well enough by now, even in a year's time, to know that any threats, or problems of any kind, concerning Esthar would immediately compel the President to inform SeeD as a precaution. The fact that they'd heard nothing from him, and Xu's information on a possible alliance between the quiet continent and Galbadia, left very little room to doubt such.

"It's just so unsettling," she said, in a quiet voice, "What reason would Esthar have for allying with Galbadia? What is going on?"

She shook her head lightly as she spoke that last line. Nida hated to see her in such a state as he tried to think of something to say in hopes of getting her mind off it.

"I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. We can trust what Squall said. He's not worried. Why should we be?"

Quistis still couldn't allay her fears so easily despite the truth of the young SeeD's words.

"I know it's crazy of me to think such a thing," she said, "But, until I know for sure…we can't really be certain of anything – especially when Galbadia is involved."

Nida nodded lightly in understanding – glancing at the floor for a moment when an idea quickly came to mind.

He lifted his head again as he looked back at the headmaster.

"Why don't you just contact him and ask for yourself?" he suggested, "That would take care of things on the spot – and put your mind at ease, right?"

Quistis appeared to contemplate this thought for a moment as Nida looked at her with a hopeful expression. However, it quickly faded as she said her next words.

"…I can't do that. Just in case it's true, we can't let on that we know at risk of word reaching Galbadia. Until we have the full story…we'll just have to take things as they come for now – speculation or not."

Nida sighed at her words as he realized she was right. He could understand her fears and hesitation – to be honest, he had the same concerns. Esthar was an advanced country with a well-trained and equipped army. Should their forces truly ally with those of Galbadia, whomever they targeted stood little to no chance. It was a scary thought – but, even scarier to imagine they could possibly target Balamb, despite their ties with the former.

Still, all fears aside, he didn't want to think about such. They didn't have enough information to just assume they knew the situation, and besides…he was beginning to stress over the matter – a fact he really couldn't stand to deal with. Not wanting to dwell on the subject any longer, he immediately tried to quell her fears – thus, doing the same for his.

"Don't worry, Quistis," he said, trying to keep calm as he spoke, "We'll find out what's really going on and then we can take it from there when the time comes. For now…let's just do as Squall said and not let it get to us. What's the point in worrying over something that we can't even be sure of right now?"

Quistis thought on his words for a moment. He had a point. She was getting worked up over information that they couldn't even truly distinguish as right or wrong. As much as she knew Xu to not go around dealing out false information, it was still too soon to be completely sure. She had her doubts, sure…but, she also knew better than to let her thoughts and feelings guide her actions – especially when faced with a matter such as this.

She took a deep breath as she tried to relax, sitting forward in her seat again as she nodded lightly.

"…Maybe you're right. For all we know, Xu was misinformed or read the information wrong. Esthar would never ally with Galbadia. I'm certain of it."

She glanced down at her desk once again.

"…We probably have nothing to worry about."

She looked at Nida – her face clearly expressing hope that he'd reassure her. The young SeeD kindly smiled at her as he nodded and Quistis felt relief sweep over her as she smiled back.

"Right." she said.

* * *

"It iz finished!" Doctor Odine cheered loudly, as he raised his latest experiment into the air. It appeared to be some sort of container with a strange, greenish liquid inside. His attendant looked at the container in a state of question.

"Doctor, if I may ask," he said, "What is the purpose of this project anyway? Should we really be messing with something like this?"

Doctor Odine lowered the container to his eye level as he stared at it in excitement. The look in his eyes was bit unnerving for his aide as it only continued to raise more questions – and none of which hinting at any sign of pride in this experiment.

"Zat is not for you to worry about," Odine said, calmly, "Zis is science at it's finest! Zis experiment shall be my greatest accomplishment yet!"

His attendant could only shake his head in disbelief and reluctance as he looked at the doctor again with hesitation.

"…But, can we really trust Galbadia? They refused to share their reasons for this, after all," he said.

He dropped his head as he spoke again in a low voice.

"…I'm just saying…"

Odine merely brushed off his words, rather unaffected by such warnings as he clutched the container tightly in his hand – turning back to his assistant with a straight face.

"Zis is about science – nothing more," he exclaimed, "Zat Deling iz a genius! If zis experiment iz even half as great as I envision, we shall go on to even better things!"

He stood there with a proud expression on his face as his assistant could only sigh at his words. It was clear to him Odine would never change. When it came to science, he thought of nothing else than how great his latest experiment would be. It was times like this he had to wonder what he'd ever gotten himself into when he'd decided to work alongside the doctor.

He sighed as he looked at the floor again.

"I just don't know…" he mumbled.

Odine brushed off his concerns as he glanced at the container in his hand.

"There iz nothing to worry about," he said, "Ze research iz flawless and ze experiment vill be, too. I, Odine, am never wrong."

He walked to the other side of the room.

"For ze time being, we must leave zis in a safe place," he said, in a strange tone.

He approached a pod-like structure and typed in a series of numbers on the pedestal below it, immediately opening the pod as he carefully placed the container inside.

"There," he said.

He stared at the container inside the structure for a moment before turning to his assistant.

"It iz a big day for science, I assure you," he said, confidently, "Now, come."

He walked out of the lab and his assistant followed him shortly after. However, as he stood in the doorway, he turned back around to look in the direction of the container. He was overcome with doubt and fear – the concern towards Galbadia's unusual request and secretive motive for such still echoing in his mind as he stared at it for a moment.

He then let out a heavy sigh as he glanced at the ground before finally leaving the lab completely – turning the lights off as the container sat in the faint glow of the pod.

* * *

About an hour after their argument, Squall was still in the Training Center – now beating his aggressions out on the monsters therein nearly ten-fold how he had before. His anger at himself for what happened: how he had coldly chased Rinoa away and lashed out at her for no reason, being unleashed heavily as he mercilessly struck at every monster he encountered. He was so mad he could hardly think as he continuously battered every foe – not even the slightest shred of pity as he quickly and easily took them out one after the other with swift, strong strikes of his gunblade. It was all he could do to relieve his regret and shame at his callous actions.

"_Damn you!" _he thought to himself, as he clenched his Lionheart as tight as he could.

He looked around the area for another enemy to fight to help relieve his resentment towards himself, but nothing was in sight. Had he really taken them all down already?

He closed his eyes tight as he slowly lifted his gunblade, lining it up to his face as he took a few deep breaths behind closed lips. He tried to relax, but it was no use. No matter what he did, he couldn't shake what he'd said or done to Rinoa. He'd had such cold, biting words that tore at her deeply and she hadn't deserved a single one. That image of her running away in tears without looking back, stuck frozen at the front of his mind as he tried all he could to erase it. He wished he could take it all back somehow – go back in time and stop himself from allowing it to happen. He thought about Rinoa for a moment – where she might be right now. What was she doing? Was she okay? Would she ever forgive him? Did he even _deserve _to be forgiven? He shook his head hard at that last question. No, of course not. The things he'd said to her were unforgivable – even to Rinoa. It was a stupid thought.

He squeezed the handle of his gunblade as he clenched his face – grunting angrily as he thought about it all.

"_Dammit!" _he thought once again, _"What the hell is wrong with you?"_

Suddenly, he heard a roaring sound and quickly turned around to see T-Rexaur approaching. The large foe stopped a few feet away from the SeeD as it stood before him menacingly, roaring once more as it leered down at him. Squall showed no fear as he braced to fight again.

"You'll do just fine." he said, with a straight face – then quickly dashed toward the colossal creature.

Still so fueled by his anger, Squall immediately began dragging his gunblade along the ground as he rushed the enormous foe – waiting until he got right up to it before finally unleashing Rough Divide as he jumped high into the air, slashing at T-Rexaur with a strong, upward swipe in the process. The dinosaur cried loudly in a bit of pain before recovering moments later and quickly looking down at Squall again – the anger apparent on its face as it then went for an attack on the SeeD.

Squall quickly jumped back, nearly dodging the jaws of the monstrous foe as he glared up at it angrily. However, before he could do anything, T-Rexaur struck at him again and Squall found himself forced into a defensive mode as he did his best to stay ahead of the monster's strikes – dodging most blows, but managing to successfully block some. A quick tail swipe was used in attempt to catch him off-guard, but Squall was more than prepared as he quickly dove out of the way – the massive tail just missing his leg.

As the colossus turned back around to face the SeeD, it made one final attempt to try and best him as it lowered its head and rushed forward in his direction. Squall held his gunblade tightly in front of him as he braced against the attack, but it wasn't nearly enough as he found himself thrown backward a few feet from the large impact.

He grunted loudly as he hit the ground on his back, quickly lifting his head to look toward the creature as he now reached his peak – glaring at it with an intense rage as he charged up his gunblade.

"Son of a…." he grumbled.

As his Lionheart finally charged enough, Squall quickly rushed T-Rexaur once again – immediately thrusting his weapon upward and easily knocking the colossus into the air. He shouted loudly in anger as he jumped up in pursuit, immediately continuing his onslaught as he battered his foe repeatedly with heavy blows. Coming to the finale, he charged his gunblade once again before unleashing the final blow: Lionheart - dashing past the monstrous enemy as his gunblade tore right through it.

A seemingly delayed reaction, an explosion of sorts emerged from the creature as it roared loudly in pain – finally collapsing as it hit the ground with a hard and heavy thud.

Squall landed in a hunched position behind the fallen foe and slowly rose to his feet – turning around to look at the lifeless colossus as he grunted proudly to himself with closed eyes. He took a few deep breaths before finally realizing he had managed to relieve most of his aggression – much to his relief.

However, before he could really enjoy the quiet that had quickly covered the area, he heard a voice shout to him from near the entrance.

"Hey! Squall!"

The young SeeD lifted his head in question to see Irvine Kinneas coming in his direction – his bright smile a bit aggravating to Squall as he turned away.

Irvine happily approached the stoic Commander as he tipped his hat in respect.

"Didn't expect to see you here," he said, "What's up?"

Squall didn't reply for a moment as he kept his head turned away. He didn't feel like talking – again. It wasn't the fear of lashing out at another friend that got to him – he had just finally managed to beat out all of his aggressions and now he was left with the pain and remorse from his actions towards Rinoa. They tore at his heart and mind as he could only wonder if he'd ever be able to make amends to her for that shameful moment. It was all he could think about - and Irvine's presence wasn't making things easier in the least.

Irvine looked at Squall with a curious expression.

"What's on your mind? Come on, you can tell me."

Squall just shook his head lightly. That was the exact thing Rinoa had said to him – and it hadn't resulted in anything but pain for both of them. He really didn't want to relive that moment all over again. This time…he refused altogether to even make a sound as he continued to stand there in silence – his head still turned away from the friendly sharpshooter.

Completely unaware of past events, Irvine could only laugh at Squall's silence.

"Not gonna say, huh?" he said, "Well…can't say I'm surprised. I guess I should have figured as much."

He walked up next to Squall as he looked around the area – finally noticing T-Rexaur lying on the ground a few feet away. His eyes went a bit wide with surprise as he quickly looked at Squall again.

"…Did you…?" he asked, pointing toward the monstrous creature.

Squall glanced toward the colossus for a brief moment, still refraining from any kind of response as he closed his eyes once again – Irvine immediately getting his answer as he looked back at the creature in amazement.

"Damn!" he said, tipping his head as he scratched it just below the brim of his hat.

Squall sighed.

"Look…" he mumbled, "I just want to be alone right now. If there's something you want to talk about, just save it."

Irvine looked at him – everything finally making sense as he laughed lightly to himself.

"Alright, I get it now. Come on. What happened? You and Rinoa break up or something?"

Despite his humorous intentions, Squall was anything but accepting towards such a joke. Those words had hit a little too close to home for him. Though they hadn't broken up, things had definitely been strained – and rather tightly, at that. His antics, genuine concern or not, only served to frustrate the SeeD further.

"No!" he said, in a curt tone.

Irvine was a bit confused by Squall's tone of voice as he looked at him in question.

"Then, what?" he asked, "Something's bothering you. I figured it just had to do with Rinoa. Am I right?"

Squall turned his head away once again as he now scowled at the marksman's attempts at conversation.

"I don't want to talk about it," he grumbled, "Just leave me alone."

Irvine sighed at his friend's usual "cold-shoulder" routine at times like this. He didn't know why Squall couldn't just face whatever he'd done and try to make it better – instead of standing here angrily and trying to turn away anyone willing to help.

"Look, Squall," he said, as he glanced at the ground, "If there are two things I know, it's guns and women – as I've told you before. If there's a problem between you and Rinoa, you should go talk to her. You two will make up in no time!"

Squall didn't reply as he kept his head turned away yet again – only letting out a heavy sigh of exasperation. Why was Irvine still talking? Didn't he get the message at all? He didn't want to talk right now. Why did no one ever take those words seriously? Was it really so wrong to want to be alone? No one knew what he was going through, so who were they to try and play mediator, or fix things that weren't their business? They didn't know what had happened. Their words and ideas were useless as far as he was concerned.

Irvine placed his hand on Squall's shoulder as he nodded his head lightly.

"Squall, come on…" he said, a genuine compassion in his voice, "Just go talk to her. Whatever happened…it's not too late to fix it. Trust me."

Squall shook his head lightly at Irvine's words – not necessarily as a way of telling him to "back off", but more so in a sense of shame and doubt. How could he be so sure of what he said? Were things really that simple? There was no way. He had hurt Rinoa in the harshest way he could. How could she ever look past that and be willing to forgive him after something so callous? It just seemed so farfetched to even think about.

"You don't understand," he said, in a low voice, "You have no idea how bad I hurt her; the things I said. She could never forgive me for that."

He stood there in silence once again as Irvine looked at him in concern. He'd never seen Squall in such a deep, mental state before. Whatever had happened between them, the effect it had on him was far too obvious. He didn't know what had gone on, but seeing the young Commander right now…it wasn't too hard to figure out.

Irvine shook his head lightly as he let out another sigh.

"Well, you never know until you try, right?" he said, "I say go for it. You two can overcome anything. She'll forgive you, _you'll_ forgive you – and then it'll be "happily ever after" again."

He smiled as he said that last line – the certainty of his words clear as day in his voice.

Still…despite his friend's gestures, Squall still couldn't bring himself to act accordingly. If he was expected to forgive himself for what happened, there was no point in talking to Rinoa. Even if she did manage to forgive him – what good would it do if he'd still hold it over his own head anyway? He couldn't stand to live with such a burden. It would pull at him forever - as things always had a knack for doing that with him. The whole thing was pointless. It wouldn't work. It just wouldn't.

"If you don't mind…," he said, "I'm just gonna stick around here for a little longer."

He heard a sound ahead of him and looked to see a stray Grat standing a few feet away. He quickly ran up to it – but, as he went to strike, he heard a gun go off and the Grat immediately cried out before collapsing in defeat.

"Huh?" he asked, turning his head back toward Irvine. The young sharpshooter stood a few feet back with his gun held out, a billow of smoke flowing from the end.

"Go talk to Rinoa." he said.

Squall looked at him for a moment – his friend's face bearing a stern expression, yet his voice sounded so calm and compassionate. As much as he hated to, he couldn't help but accept the idea as he finally obliged – sighing under his breath as he began walking toward the entrance to the Training Center.

He stopped once he was a few feet past Irvine, glancing back at the cowboy-like marksman as he nodded lightly in gratitude.

"…Thanks," he said, in a quiet voice.

Irvine just nodded in response and Squall headed out of the area. The marksman turned back around toward the defeated Grat with a smirk on his face.

"Sucker." he said, making another shooting motion with his hand.


	5. Trial and Error

**Phenomenon**

**Trial and Error**

Having no real direction in mind, Squall wandered wherever his feet carried him – finding himself in the Quad only a few minutes upon leaving the Training Center. He searched around for Rinoa, albeit without any real intent, as he slowly moved through the area. Truthfully, he was hoping he wouldn't find her. How could he apologize to her just like that? What could he even say to make up for what had happened? For a moment…he couldn't believe he was even really here right now. He wanted to turn back and just forget about it, but the memory of Rinoa fleeing from sight with tears in her eyes compelled him to continue forward anyway. No matter what he said or thought, he couldn't shake that memory from his head. He needed to find her and set things right between them. He owed her that much.

As he made his way toward the end, he went over the scenario in his head. It sounded good in his mind – everything worded and thought out perfectly, but actually saying it to her…just the thought of that moment made him uneasy. He was never good with words – even around Rinoa sometimes. It was only worse when it came to sensitivity. Emotion was never his strong point and he dreaded the whole event really. Still, it was his fault that any of this had happened in the first place. That thought alone, was the only reason he was even able to keep himself moving forward as he finally reached his destination. He looked ahead to see Rinoa sitting at the edge of the stage with Selphie right beside her. They appeared to be engaged in some kind of conversation – and he could only imagine what about.

As he stared at them from the great distance for a moment, he began to have second thoughts once again – turning his head to the side as he looked away with folded arms.

"…_Forget it,"_ he thought to himself, _"I'll come back later. It's not important."_

He was clearly lying to himself, but he didn't really care. It was a good enough excuse for him to back out of the predicament he faced. He started to walk away as he took a small step back, but his conscience got the best of him once again and he found himself unable to leave - much to his dismay.

He looked ahead toward Rinoa and Selphie again as he closed his eyes, dropping his head toward the ground a little. Despite his current thoughts and feelings on the matter, he just couldn't bring himself to let things stand as they were. Fears and doubts aside – he, too, cared about her too much to let something as stupid as a little argument keep them apart. Whether or not she'd forgive him, was her choice…but, he still had to try.

Finally mustering up the courage, he let out a sigh as he began walking toward the two girls slowly. Selphie smiled widely at Rinoa as a laugh emerged from her mouth before finally noticing Squall coming toward them. She slowly stood up as she glanced at the young sorceress one last time.

"I'll see you later, okay?" she said, holding her hands behind her back.

Rinoa was a bit confused by her friend's sudden words as she watched Selphie start to walk away – turning her head back around before she could notice Squall approaching.

The SeeD stopped as she passed by the young commander – a smile forming on her face as she looked at him, but Squall wasn't the least bit enticed as he turned away.

"Just so you know, there's nothing to worry about," she said, in a soft voice, "You two still have a lot to learn about each other."

Squall ignored her as he kept his head to the side - her words only serving to aggravate him somewhat as he stood with his arms folded once again, an expression of frustration apparent on his face as Selphie proceeded to walk past him a little before turning back in his direction once more.

"Go talk to her already," she said, in a cheerful, yet pushy tone, "You know you want to."

With that, she turned forward again and continued toward the entrance to the Quad as Squall let out a bit of an exasperated sigh. Did everyone have to know when he and Rinoa were going through a difficult time? How did word even get around so quickly? He glanced ahead at the young sorceress and closed his eyes, lowering his head a little as he forced himself the rest of the way toward her.

Rinoa didn't notice, nor even hear him approaching, as she sat in silence with her head toward the ground. Squall caught a glimpse of her face – the hint of worry and pain she bore inside as she sat there, thinking to herself. The sight of her in such a position only made the whole situation worse for him. He stood a few feet away from her – the awkward tension between the two filling the air with a great unease amongst the usually happy couple.

Squall thought to himself for a moment – Rinoa still unaware of his presence as he managed to mutter a phrase under his breath.

"…Can I sit here?" he asked, in a low voice, still turned away - his tone sounding a bit cold, but his words bearing a hint of sincerity.

Rinoa turned her head in surprise at the sound of his voice.

"…Oh…" she mumbled, quickly looking back down at the ground as she cupped her hand to her heart. She didn't show it, but she was sincerely relieved to see him. Even though it hadn't been very long since they'd last spoken, their time apart had nevertheless torn at her greatly – even more so than his words had. She had thought for sure she'd be the first to act on the situation, but somehow – Squall had beaten her to it. It was a rather comforting feeling that came over her as she quietly moved over a bit, unhesitant to make room for him beside her as she continued to sit there without a word. Squall was slow to act for a moment, appearing to think to himself once again, before finally sitting down next to her slowly – the tension from the moment increasing as they both sat side by side in the same position, reflecting on the whole ordeal.

Rinoa glanced at him slightly from the corner of her eye – an expression of complete discomfort and regret on his face as he sat there beside her. This wasn't easy for him at all. He struggled to find the words – his face appearing to take on a look of aggravation for a moment as he fought with himself to bring them out; to muster up the courage he needed to say what was on his mind. He wanted to speak – he just didn't know where to start. It drove him crazy with frustration – amongst all else he could possibly feel at a moment like this. Why was this so hard for him? He could only sit there, engrossed in utter silence once again, as he closed his eyes and lowered his head - the anger he'd felt at himself from before once again coming over him, along with annoyance. He couldn't even face Rinoa after what he'd done to her? What _was_ his problem?

"…Squall?" Rinoa asked, in a soft, gentle tone. The hesitation in her voice was more than evident, but it wasn't like he could blame her. She was afraid to really say anything at risk of it all happening over again, but at least she had said something - while he, the one responsible for everything in the first place, couldn't even bring himself to say one simple word. He'd never felt so pathetic before in his life.

He continued to sit there in complete silence, not even so much as a sign of acknowledgement towards her, as he held his hand to his forehead. Rinoa could only look away as she dropped her head toward the ground once more. It was the most uncomfortable moment they'd ever had together – probably even comparing to the many they'd experienced shortly after having first met. It was a terrible sense of discomfort and dread that loomed over them like a heavy shadow.

Squall took a deep breath as he still sat leaning forward, forehead in hand – the words, slow as they were to come, finally emerging from his mouth as he spoke in a soft voice.

"…I'm sorry."

Rinoa lifted her head toward him at those words as a look of surprise, and relief, swept across her face.

Squall sighed to himself as he removed his hand from his forehead, opening his eyes as he stared at the ground for a moment. He couldn't believe he'd actually said it in the end, but it felt so good to relieve himself of the burden of regret he'd carried only moments before. To his surprise, it had actually come out more easily than he'd thought – and now, he couldn't help but wonder why he'd been so timid in the first place.

He slowly turned his head toward Rinoa and their eyes immediately locked – both staring at each other for a moment as Squall found himself lost in those beautiful, dark brown irises of hers. He had to admit – it was definitely her most attractive feature. Just one look into them, and he felt like he could take on anything – reminding him of exactly the kind of impact she'd had in his life from the moment they'd first met. Though he'd hidden it, the first time he'd looked into those eyes...she had him. She hadn't even had to try. It had just happened. He couldn't help but fall for her all over again as they sat there – the look in her eyes the same as it had always been: sweet, innocent, and kind. He couldn't imagine how he could have possibly been so heartless towards her before. Though her expression clearly bore a look of forgiveness from the moment he'd said those words, he still couldn't help but feel a bit ashamed.

"I never meant to hurt you, Rinoa," he said, as he dropped his head a little again, "I was just so distracted. There was so much going on that it became too much – and I ended up taking it out on you."

He shook his head as he recalled the moment he'd lashed out at her – his words playing clearly in his mind as he beat himself up inside for ever letting it get that far. He'd tried so hard to hold it in, but his attempts had been futile. Something had overcome him and he hadn't been able to contain himself any longer – Rinoa, unfortunately, becoming the target of his aggression as he beat her heavily with such harsh words. Looking back…he couldn't imagine how she could really find it so easy to forgive now, and yet – here she sat…a smile forming at the edge of her mouth as she looked back at him intently. He didn't deserve such compassion. He could only look away as he continued speaking.

"You didn't deserve that – anything I said. I was so distraught I'd have done it to anybody."

He closed his eyes again as he let out another sigh of grief.

"But, it wasn't just anybody…" he mumbled.

He slowly lifted his head to look at her again, his regret tearing at him further as he spoke his next words.

"…It was you."

Rinoa looked back at him and thought she detected a hint of sorrow in his voice. He'd sounded like he wanted to cry – yet, nothing: no tears rolling down his cheek and his voice remained unshaken. The expression on his face - one of great shame and pain at his actions towards her, hit her hard and she could feel her eyes water a little. Squall carried such an awful burden. She knew he hadn't meant to say or do what he had. She'd forgiven him the moment it had happened – even as she'd fled with tear-filled eyes. It pained her greatly to see him like this now - the heartache at such a sight pulling at her terribly as she thought of what she could say; let him know it was okay and that he had no reason to feel such a way. As she saw it…they were both to blame for what had happened. Squall didn't deserve to bear this weight on his own.

The young SeeD looked away again as he muttered one final phrase – his words, and tone of voice – the sincerity with which they flowed from his lips, finally doing it for her.

"I'm sorry, Rinoa. I don't want this to come between us. I care about you too much as well."

He thought on those words for a moment and realized that hadn't quite been right; what he'd meant to say. He glanced at the ground before looking at Rinoa again – taking a breath as he rephrased himself.

"…I love you." he said, utmost sincerity in his voice.

Rinoa could no longer contain her emotion as she quickly embraced Squall, hugging him tightly as she cried quietly to herself at the whole ordeal.

"I love you, too, Squall," she said, softly, between tears, "I'm sorry."

Squall didn't say a word as he responded in the same manner - a single, faint tear rolling down his face from the surprise, and great relief, of Rinoa finding it in herself to forgive him so easily. They held each other close for a moment before Rinoa lifted her head off his chest, looking up at him closely before she finally kissed him – the much desired confirmation for the SeeD telling him they'd successfully mended any rifts that had been created.

They slowly pulled away from each other as Rinoa wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Squall." she said, in a gentle voice, as she smiled at him once more.

Squall smiled lightly back – his relief still more than evident on his face as a question came to mind. He was a little hesitant to ask, however, as he didn't want to seem hasty. They had just made up after all and he didn't want to spoil the moment. Still though…he couldn't stand not knowing. He still wanted to go through with it – but, it couldn't work if Rinoa didn't feel the same way.

He looked at her closely and she could tell from his expression that he had something on his mind. She looked at him in question as she tipped her head slightly.

Squall took a deep breath before finally releasing the words.

"…About tomorrow night…" he mumbled, a bit ashamed for actually choosing to bring it up as he dropped his head a little.

Rinoa looked at him, seemingly shocked for a moment, before a smile graced her face once again. She held her hand to her mouth as she laughed lightly. Despite the moment, and his obvious hesitation, he was still so cute. She just couldn't find it in herself to ever really be mad at him – at least not for very long. Whether he ever intended such or not, even in his most vulnerable moment, he was still so hard to say "no" to. It was just part of his charm. She couldn't help but find it funny that he apparently had yet to realize this.

"Lobby. Six o' clock," she said, softly, as she gave him a shy smile, "That gives us a little extra time."

Squall smiled at her words as he nodded in agreement.

"I'll be there." he said.

They both smiled at each other once again and Squall put his arms around her a second time - Rinoa happily and calmly falling into him as he held her close once more.

* * *

Later that same night, Commander Caraway walked into Deling's office once again – albeit, this time, begrudgingly. He was growing rather aggravated from the young president's secrecy. His constant failure to inform him as to the reasons for his intentions was anything but satisfying to the new Commander. Though he rather loathed what this summon could be for, and despite his personal thoughts and feelings, nevertheless…he was still bound by soldier's creed and couldn't dare to dishonor himself, or his own superior, for any reason. However, that being so…he still had to wonder exactly how long he could continue to let this go on.

"President Deling…sir." he said, in a low voice.

Deling looked up from his desk once again and smirked at the sight of the Commander. He was rather pleased to know he could always count on the man to do as he was told. He was like an obedient dog. It was kind of amusing.

"Commander Caraway," he said, in a smug tone.

Caraway noticed the expression on his face, though only momentary, as he looked at him with a bit of suspicion. He seemed rather different somehow as compared to all the previous summonings. Something about him hit a nerve with the newly appointed Commander and he found himself rather uneasy in his presence this time. He tried to ignore it – but, the strange sensation just couldn't be shaken so easily.

"I have a special order for you, if you would be so kind one last time." Deling said, leaning forward in his chair.

Caraway's suspicion only got stronger as he heard those words, looking at the president with an expression of confusion and discomfort. These unusual and mysterious orders seemed to have no end – and he was nearing the verge of how much more he could take. He was beginning to quickly lose respect for the new president.

"…Sir?" he asked, calmly, so as not to let on to his suspicions.

Deling slowly stood up as he looked at Caraway – the strange gleam in his eyes not going unnoticed by the Commander. It sent his uneasiness to a new height as he looked back at the young president in question – the strange feeling he'd felt upon entering the residence telling him that he should just walk away right now.

Deling stood with a proud expression on his face as he gave him the intended orders.

"Gather a couple of your men and make route for Esthar," he said, in a sly tone, "The time for action has come."

Caraway was completely baffled by his words – which was really no surprise given that he'd never been told a thing from the moment this all began. What was he talking about? How could he know where to go or what to do if he'd never been informed of anything? None of it made sense and he was getting rather sick of constantly being yanked around like this.

He was hesitant to speak as he cleared his throat, his eyes meeting those of Deling as they stood in silence for a moment - the words on the tip of Caraway's mouth, but he struggled to bring them out.

"Is there a problem, Commander?" Deling asked, a rather angry tone in his voice.

Caraway took a deep breath as he finally found it in himself to speak. He knew what he was risking – and that he was breaking one of the cardinal rules of a soldier…but, he just couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't stand being left in the dark any longer while he was continuously shuffled around the globe. Enough was enough. It was time something finally gave.

"If I may ask, sir," he said, the hesitation still evident in his voice, "What is this all about?"

Deling immediately frowned at his words as he stared at Caraway for a moment.

"That is not of your concern, Commander," he said, sternly, "Just continue as you have. Now, go."

Caraway couldn't bring himself to obey the young president's orders this time. It wasn't good enough. He needed to know something and he wasn't leaving until he did. Whatever dishonors this may bring on him, he just didn't care this time. Better he lose his merit than his sanity, the way he saw it.

"Forgive my impertinence once again, sir, but I cannot continue to act on your behalf any longer without some sort of explanation."

"Commander," Deling said, as he sat back down in his chair – his chin resting on folded hands as he looked up at him, "I sincerely hope you understand when I say that I cannot give you the information you request. It would do you well to not trouble your mind with it any longer."

Caraway shook his head in defiance. He had now reached his peak. This was getting ridiculous and he demanded a clear, honest response. He deserved to know what was going on in the mind of the man whom so frequently, and somewhat compulsively, saw fit for him to carry out such bizarre, irrational orders; whom deemed himself worthy of the kind of praise and respect he demanded.

"Sir," he said, his voice raised a bit, "These orders you request are more than just absurd – they are completely and utterly baseless! As your appointed head of the Galbadian Army, I demand to know your intentions."

Deling's face now dropped into a scowl as he glared at Caraway – now rising back to his feet as he stood straight across from him with a heated expression.

"Commander," he said, in a harsh tone, "You, of all people, know the risk of actions such as the ones you've taken just now, I presume. Daring to defy your superiors is greatly frowned upon, as you know."

He looked at Caraway intently – the Commander showing nothing but a clear frustration towards the president as they both stood in silence for a moment, staring each other down.

Deling lifted his head a little higher as he spoke once more.

"I would hate for our friendly relations to end here over something so trivial."

Commander Caraway refused to back down from the man before him. Now, having seen his true colors start to show, he was no longer hesitant about his words or actions. This game they were playing was officially over as of now. Without hesitation, he immediately slammed his hands down on the desk - his voice raised louder than before as he finally cracked.

"This is preposterous! I absolutely refuse to allow myself to be manipulated even by one such as yourself! I will not be your lapdog in whatever it is your intentions lie in. War is not a game! You are putting the forces and entire citizenry of Galbadia at risk – and I _will not_ stand for it!"

He stopped himself there, panting heavily from his loss of temper, as he glared at the young president with an intensity not to be taken lightly.

He took a deep breath and quietly pulled himself away from the desk – standing straight again as he sighed.

"If you continue on this route, I will have but one choice of action," he said, in a regretful, yet unyielding tone, "Good day, sir."

He turned around without another word and headed for the door – the sound of Deling's voice one last time stopping him in his tracks as he stood with his back to the man.

"Commander Caraway," he said, a smug tone clear in his voice yet again, "I would not speak of this matter to anyone, if I were you. I think it best we keep this between us. I'd hate for things to get ugly, if you understand."

Caraway stood at the doorway with his back still turned to the president as he muttered under his breath.

"I will not sit back and take lightly to your intentions – be whatever they may. Let this be clear."

He turned his head slightly so as to see the president in his peripheral vision.

"…Your threats are futile." he grumbled.

He walked out the door without even thinking about looking back as Deling sat down in his chair – a thought quickly coming to mind as he picked up the phone at the corner of his desk. Within moments, a voice was heard on the other end as he grinned slyly to himself.

"There's been a change of plan," he said, in a smug tone, "We're moving ahead of schedule."


	6. Drawn Into Danger

**Phenomenon**

**Drawn Into Danger  
**

Squall sat alone on a bench in the Garden courtyard – forehead in hand, once again, as he thought to himself. Despite having patched things up between him and Rinoa, he'd still suffered a lack of sleep - the news of Galbadia and Esthar's possible alliance still pulling at him tirelessly. He'd gone over all the possible reasons for such an event a thousand times in his head…but nothing added up in the end. He still wasn't entirely convinced there was a need to be alarmed – but, he still couldn't help but dwell on the thought. What if he was wrong somehow? What if they _were_ planning something? And, if they were…what? The endless possibilities that came to mind were a great source of dread – and frustration for the young commander. He didn't want to think about it…but, he couldn't afford to overlook it any longer. Something was definitely going on, he knew that much. It just drove him crazy that he didn't know exactly what it was.

As he continued to sit there, still and silent, lost in such deep thoughts and fears – he nearly began to fall asleep when he felt someone's arms around his shoulders. He slowly lifted his head in question as he heard a familiar voice – soft and gentle.

"Hey, Squall."

He turned his head as Rinoa slowly sat down beside him.

"Are you okay?" she asked, looking at him closely.

"I'm just tired," he mumbled, "I didn't sleep much last night."

His words greatly puzzled Rinoa as she looked at him with concern – a feeling of dread coming over her as she could tell there was something he wasn't saying. Something was obviously troubling him – and the fact that it clearly had an impact on his mind brought great discomfort and worry to the young sorceress. She wanted to ask, but was hesitant to do so – the memory of the event in the Training Center quickly coming to mind as she remembered what had happened last time. Though it hurt to recall what he'd said to her…she had also come to accept that he had been right in a sense. This time she wouldn't pry; wouldn't try to make him talk about something he clearly had no interest in sharing. That was a moment she'd rather not relive.

She lowered her head a little, afraid she'd caught him at a bad time once again – a light sigh emerging from her mouth as she looked at the floor in silence. Squall saw her reaction and knew all too well what she was thinking - a bit of guilt coming over him as he slowly leaned toward her.

"But, I'm better now that you're here." he said, the sincerity evident in his voice.

Rinoa quickly turned back toward him, nearly blushing at his words - her sweet smile and innocent expression winning him over once again as he couldn't help but smile back at her.

She laughed lightly upon seeing his expression, her smile lingering on her face for a moment as she lowered her head once more – staring at the floor as a thought came to mind. Squall was a bit confused by her reaction as he looked at her.

"Rinoa?"

The young sorceress kept looking at the floor as she spoke – her voice soft and quiet as she slowly brought out the words.

"You know…I've been thinking a lot about tonight."

Squall leaned forward again as he folded his arms on his lap.

"Yeah, me too," he said, in a low voice, "It just can't come fast enough."

Rinoa yanked her head toward him in excitement, and a bit of shock, upon hearing those words from him. It was exactly what she had been thinking, but had hesitated to speak due to initially believing she'd caught him at a bad time once again. It was a great sense of relief she felt as another smile form on her face – Squall turning to face her once more as their eyes immediately locked.

"What?" he said, "Don't be so surprised. I wouldn't have brought it up if I hadn't been serious about it."

Rinoa nodded her head in agreement, her hand to her mouth as she laughed lightly. It was true: despite how serious Squall tended to be and his seeming inability to express his emotion, when it came to her…it had never been anything but the truth that she heard – be it entirely pleasant or not. Though she knew he had been serious about their date from the moment he'd brought it up, it had still been a bit surprising to her when it was happening. Now, however, hearing him say it again…it was all the verification she needed – and she was now looking forward to it even more. They were so close. Just a few more hours, and nothing would be able to stand in the way of their night together. Her heart fluttered a little as she sat there, thinking about it all – a smile forming on her face once again. She couldn't believe it was actually going to happen. It seemed too good to be true.

Squall looked at the floor again for a moment as he thought to himself. What was he doing anyway? All of the students were in class – Garden seeming all but lifeless as silence filled the hallways, Quistis was caught up in the matters pertaining to Galbadia, and here he sat – Rinoa by his side as they both wished time would just fast forward so they could be alone. The situation spoke for itself. Besides, he had already pretty much dropped his duties for the rest of the day – the thoughts in his head, tonight being most prominent, keeping him from being able to really focus anyway. It was all too obvious even he couldn't deny it. There was no better time than now – so, why wait?

"_What the hell. It's not like we don't deserve this," _he thought, _"I'm sick of doing things on everyone else's time. I can't take this anymore."_

He turned to Rinoa as he reached his conclusion.

"What do you say we cut out early?"

Rinoa looked at him in surprise for a moment - almost certain she'd heard him wrong.

"What?"

"I mean it," he said, "Things are quiet right now and we were going to leave anyway. It just feels so stupid to wait."

He put his hand on her shoulder as he looked at her intently – the look on his face; the sincerity of his words more than evident in those clear, blue eyes – his next words filling Rinoa's heart with bliss as she felt warmth and joy overtake her at once almost instantly.

"Just you and me, Rinoa. Let's get out of here now."

Rinoa smiled widely at his words as she nodded her head approvingly without hesitation, overcome with excitement as she quickly wrapped her arms around him once again - both holding each other close for a moment.

As they slowly let go of one another, Rinoa practically shook with anticipation – and delight. Finally, they'd get the time alone that they'd greatly desired for so long now – and Squall was making sure of it. He had dumped all of his responsibilities just for her; just for this one night. It was the best feeling she'd had in a long time to know exactly how much she truly mattered to him.

"I'll go inform Quistis that we're leaving," he said, "Just wait here. I'll be right back."

Rinoa nodded her head once again as another smile graced her face – Squall responding the same way as he walked past her, their eyes locking intently and passionately as he headed inside.

* * *

Squall emerged from the elevator into Quistis' office as he headed straight for her desk – the headmaster quickly rising from her seat as she stepped out to meet him.

"Squall, good timing," she said, "I was just about to call for you."

Squall immediately stopped walking as he looked at Quistis - the expression on her face immediately filling him with dismay. He didn't need to hear what she had to say to know he wasn't going to like it.

"_Seems more like bad timing," _he thought, "…What is it?" He was reluctant for an answer, but nevertheless…he still had to ask.

Quistis took a breath as she glanced at the floor, thinking to herself for a moment. She seemed hesitant to speak – a fact that perplexed Squall a bit further as he looked at her in anticipation.

"…We got word from Laguna," she explained.

Squall looked at her in question at the mention of Esthar's president.

"It's strange, I know," Quistis continued, as she lifted her head, "But…he sounded rather hasty. I think you should go check it out."

Squall looked at her – the words that emerged from her lips raising one specific question above all others.

"…Just me?"

Quistis nodded her head in response.

"It was a rather odd request, but I still think it's worth looking into. With everything that's going on, we can't take anything too lightly."

Squall now folded his arms in a bit of frustration. It figured that this would happen. He and Rinoa were finally about to take their much needed time away, so it was the perfect opportunity for something like this to come up – especially since the order had come from Laguna. If only he'd known what he was walking into, he'd have reconsidered coming up here in the first place.

Quistis saw his face as she looked at him for a moment. Knowing Squall all too well by now to not know what was going through his head, she folded her arms as she leaned against her desk.

"Squall? Is there a problem?"

"_It's just that…Rinoa and I…"_ he thought to himself, still standing with his head turned.

He thought of Rinoa, standing outside in the courtyard still waiting for him to come back so they could leave. He had set the whole thing up. He had promised her they'd go and even took it upon himself to change things so they'd have more time together. The timing of this whole situation aggravated and upset him at once – regret swelling within him as he shook his head at the whole ordeal. How could he explain this to her? They had both been looking forward to it, her especially – she'd made that more than clear. What would she think when he told her they had to put it off? He wanted to go through with it just as much as she did, and their time together was only looking better and better each moment that passed – especially now.

"_Forget it. There's no point in saying anything." _he thought, a mix of anger and grief swelling inside of him.

He sighed lightly as he slowly looked at Quistis again - the young headmaster staring back at him with a look of concern as she stood there quietly, waiting for him to speak.

"…Did he say what this was all about?" he asked, a hint of aggravation in his voice.

Quistis shook her head lightly in response.

"Not really. He just said to meet him in Odine's lab. He wouldn't explain why though."

Squall was a bit unsettled by her explanation as he thought to himself. Why Odine's lab? How did the tenacious doctor suddenly tie into all of this? And, why was Laguna seemingly so hasty for him to show up – and alone, at that? He didn't even know Laguna to keep secrets from what little he had learned of him in the past year. None of it made any more sense than usual – if anything, being even more of a mystery now. Things only appeared to get more complex with each bit of new information – and he could only sigh in exasperation as these thoughts swirled in his head.

"_This is ridiculous. Why can't I have just one day?"_ he thought, nearly grumbling to himself.

Quistis sighed lightly upon seeing Squall's reaction to the situation as she stood up straight, stepping toward him slowly. She placed her hand on his shoulder as she looked at him – a tone of apology in her voice as she spoke.

"…Just go, Squall. Maybe we'll find out what's really going on."

The young commander dropped his head a little as he stared at the floor for a moment. He didn't hate Laguna, but he still dreaded the whole idea of meeting up with him. They were complete opposites in every way – even as father and son. Every word out of the chipper president's mouth was only a source of annoyance for the stoic SeeD. He couldn't even believe they were truly related – and there had even been times where he had seriously believed they'd been misled on that matter.

He dropped his head once more as only one thought came to mind – his eyes closing in regret as he tried to imagine how he'd tell her.

"…_Rinoa."_

He lifted his head to look at Quistis again as she smiled lightly at him – Squall not even really acknowledging such a notion as anger and regret overcame him once more – most of the former directed at Laguna. He didn't want to go, but if he had to…he'd do whatever he could to get it done quickly. He had made a promise – and he intended to keep it no matter what.

He turned around without a word, faintly waving his hand in the air as he entered the elevator once again – Quistis watching him in silence as he left the room.

* * *

Squall returned to the courtyard with a solemn expression.

"Squall!" Rinoa cheered, jumping with excitement as she hurried over to him. Her bright smile and cheerful expression only made things harder for the SeeD as he sighed heavily. How could he tell her? She was so happy to be able to finally spend time together – her clear joy at the mere thought alone only adding to the burden of regret that Squall now carried. This wouldn't be easy…but, he had to let her know.

Rinoa held her hands behind her back as she looked at him happily.

"You're back!" she said, "We can leave now?"

Squall closed his eyes as he dropped his head, staring at the ground upon seeing her face – her undying expression and tone of voice only serving to fuel is his regret as he looked back at her in apology. He hesitated to speak – the thought of her elation suddenly disappearing just like that, keeping him from even being able to properly form the words. How could he say it? How could he possibly tell her that things had changed? Her clear delight towards everything was only a source of pain for the SeeD now.

Rinoa saw Squall's expression and a great discomfort quickly came over her as hers changed in an instant. She leaned forward a little to try and see his face better as she looked at him in question and concern.

"Squall…?"

He still didn't reply for a moment, staring at the ground in silence as he only wished he didn't have to tell her. They had been so close; they were right there. A part of him still wanted to do it: just drop everything and take off with Rinoa as he'd promised – the thought of them sitting down together; just the two of them, quiet and alone, the world practically non-existent – the enticement of it all still appealed to him just as much as when he'd first suggested it. However, even he couldn't bring himself to deny his duties as a SeeD. It had been the one thing in his life he'd looked forward to, after all.

As he stood there, thinking to himself, he glanced at Rinoa – her expression so compassionate; her eyes still holding that sweet innocence he'd always loved about her. Their eyes locked once again as she stared at him intently – Squall only finding it harder to tell her with each passing second.

He sighed as he finally spoke again – the words, hard and upsetting as they were, slowing emerging from his mouth.

"…I'm sorry, Rinoa. Something came up. I have to go."

Without another word, and hoping to avoid an explanation, he began walking in the direction of the Ragnarok. However, much to his dismay – albeit, expectancy, he heard Rinoa speak – her voice stopping him almost instantly.

"Squall, wait!"

He closed his eyes in remorse as he stood with his back to her – Rinoa looking at him from behind a few feet away as she cupped her hand to her heart, trying to make sense of his sudden change of mind.

"…Where are you going?" she asked, "What happened?"

Squall was silent for a moment as he kept his back to her – eyes still closed as he thought to himself. He'd rather not explain, as he didn't even really understand what was going on, but he had also known better than to actually believe Rinoa would let him go without a reason.

Rinoa kept staring ahead at him, both still and silent, as she waited for him to speak; to give her an answer as to why he'd so willingly and so suddenly abandon their plans knowing how much she – both of them, had desired such. Her head was filled with confusion and sorrow at once as she could only imagine what might have come over him.

Squall took a deep breath as he finally spoke – reluctant to say what was on his mind, but unable to walk away with it unspoken. Though he would admit that she indeed deserved an explanation as to his sudden actions, he still wished she'd just leave it alone and let him go. This was already hard enough for him.

"…It's not important," he said, in a low voice, "Just wait here. I'll be back later."

He started walking again when Rinoa stopped him once more.

"But, what about our plans? What about what you said: how it would just be you and me tonight?" she asked, a bit of anger in her voice, "You're throwing it all away just like that?"

Squall grumbled a bit to himself as he became impatient, but doing his best not to lash out at her again as he tried to calm down – his increasing aggravation unable to be completely contained as he spoke once more.

"It'll have to happen another time."

"No! That's not fair!" she argued, shaking her head in defiance, "You promised it would just be you and me tonight, Squall. Don't think I'm letting this go so easily! It's been all I could think about since you said it."

Squall could only sigh at her words once again as he turned toward her for a moment – the remorse and apology evident on his face as he looked at her closely.

"I know," he said, "I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you. I promise."

They both stared at each other in another lull of silence before Squall turned back around, heading in the direction of the airship once again as Rinoa watched him leave.

"…I'll see you later." he said, waving lightly to her without looking back.

Rinoa watched him as he walked away – a blend of confusion, sorrow, grief – and a bit of anger, coming over her as she thought to herself. Why did this have to happen? They had finally gotten to be alone and now something had to come and ruin that. It wasn't fair. What exactly was it that was going on? She had to wonder: did this all lead back to their moment in Quistis' office yesterday? There was something they weren't telling her; something, for some reason, they seemed afraid to inform her about. She couldn't be certain – but, she had a strong feeling that what was happening now was relative to that moment.

She clutched her pendant as she thought on everything for a moment.

"_Squall…what are you not telling me?"_

She stood there, silently, as she stared at the ground for a moment. She wanted to know; to be let in on the loop that everyone seemed intent on keeping her out of. Why? Didn't she have just as much reason to know as they did? Sure, she wasn't a SeeD – but, she also didn't think that mattered to them. Another sense of great discomfort swept over her as she began to feel a little sick – her heart aching a little from fear and worry as her legs nearly trembled beneath her. She couldn't take it. She had to know what was going on. She was tired of the secrecy - and despite what they all seemed to believe, she deserved to know.

She did her best to calm down - attempting to recollect herself as she looked ahead at where Squall had gone. If this was how things were going to be, fine. She would just have to take this as another opportunity and use it to her advantage.

She clutched her pendant tightly in her hand as she took a deep breath – quickly proceeding to run off after Squall without another thought.

"Squall!"

"Huh?" he asked, quickly turning around to see Rinoa running up behind him.

He looked at her in confusion, and surprise, as he watched her approach quickly - leaning over to catch her breath for a moment as she stopped right in front of him.

"What is it?" he asked, placing his hand on his waist.

Rinoa took a deep breath as she stood up straight again.

"I'm going with you." she said, the determination in her tone all too clear.

Squall was immediately taken aghast by her words as he looked at her in shock.

"What? Forget it," he said, "It's too dangerous."

Rinoa shook her head in a bit of defiance at his words. It was clear to her that was just an excuse to get her out of his hair – and it wasn't going to work. On top of that, she couldn't forget the promise he'd made to her for tonight. What if he was gone longer than expected and didn't get back in time? Their plans would be ruined; all they were looking forward to, her especially, for naught. She couldn't stand that thought. She had been so happy when he'd set it up and she wasn't willing to let anything get in the way of it.

"Squall, you're not going to do this!" she argued, "You're not going to leave me here and put everything about tonight at risk! You promised we'd be together tonight and I'm holding you to that."

Squall couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was she serious? She was actually going to use this mission as an excuse for them to be together? It was an insane thought. She may not be a SeeD, but he never thought her to be so naïve or careless. She was allowing her personal feelings to get in the way of her better judgment – a fact that only provided Squall more grief, and frustration.

"Rinoa, this isn't a game!" he said, angrily, "I'm not letting you put yourself at risk! Just stay here."

Rinoa glanced at the ground as she thought to herself for a moment. She knew what she was risking, but it was worth it to her if she got to be with Squall. Besides, she had no way of knowing when he'd come back – or even if he would. Though the latter was probably unlikely, she had still always feared of it happening. She couldn't even begin to imagine the last time she may ever see Squall. Though he may have given his word, this whole ordeal alone was proof enough of how drastically things could change. This wasn't just about tonight – it was about them; that fear of everything they had being gone in an instant. She wasn't trying to be reckless or clingy – she just wanted to treat every moment like it may be their last. It may just be fear and doubt guiding her thoughts and actions, but the way she saw it…they were well founded.

She sighed lightly before slowly lifting her head toward Squall once again, looking him straight in the eye as she held her hand to her heart.

"Squall…I don't care what might happen," she said, quietly, "This may be the only chance we have together and I'm not going to let that go."

Squall sighed as he looked away – nearly grumbling at the whole scenario. He was a bit annoyed by Rinoa's stubbornness – but, he also felt a bit guilty for what he was doing. It wasn't like he had a choice. He knew what he had promised her – but, things had ended up changing. Why was she seemingly blaming him for it all? It wasn't like he had control over the situation. He didn't even want to go.

He closed his eyes as he lowered his head toward the ground.

"Rinoa, I-"

"Stop!" she said, abruptly cutting him off.

Squall looked at her in disbelief at her tone as she stepped past him – the SeeD watching speechlessly as she quickly stepped on board the massive airship.

"I'm going with you, Squall," she stated, her voice firm, "I'm not letting this get in the way of everything!"

Squall looked at her as she stood in the doorway of the Ragnarok - the look in Rinoa's eyes one of such ferocity and determination the likes of which he'd never seen from her before. She was so intent on them being together even for one day that she didn't care what she might be walking into or risking by doing such. Squall was filled with a sense of dread and discomfort. He didn't know what was going on in Esthar, and the whole thing with Galbadia still loomed over him just as heavily as when he'd first heard about it – but, he wasn't willing to let Rinoa place herself into the midst of it all. What if something happened to her while they were there and he somehow couldn't save her? He didn't know what to expect and she wasn't an experienced enough sorceress to handle herself very well just yet. She may be starting to improve, but she still wasn't anywhere near skilled – a fact both of them were well aware of. She was so stuck on being with him that she wasn't thinking of anything else. It only made the situation harder for him. He didn't want her to go – but, if he couldn't leave her behind…he figured he'd just have to keep a close eye on her – more so than usual.

He sighed heavily in a bit of exasperation, lightly shaking his head in grief once again as he walked aboard the Ragnarok – Rinoa watching him as he stepped inside and headed toward the cockpit, quickly proceeding to wrap her arms around his waist as she hugged him from behind. Her actions only made him feel worse about the whole event. She was so happy just to be with him; just to have this moment together - not a care in the world about what was going on or how serious the situation really was. It filled him with worry, concern, and anger all at once towards the young sorceress. He didn't understand how she could be possibly be so jovial even in the most troubling times. It was the one thing about her he still couldn't quite bring himself to warm up to.

"Just stay close to me while we're there, alright?" he said, in a low voice, "It'll be easier on me that way."

Rinoa released her hold as she looked up at him with that bright smile - her face full of joy and gratitude at the two of them finally getting time alone, despite the situation. No matter what the circumstances, it didn't matter to her as long as they were together.

"I promise." she said, nodding her head in agreement with his words.

They both sat down in their seats as Squall started up the dragon-like airship, setting route for Esthar as they buckled up. He could only hope, for her sake, that this mission would somehow be easier than he thought.


	7. Chaos Theory

**Phenomenon**

**Chaos Theory**

Squall arrived in Esthar a bit later and immediately began heading for Odine's lab – Rinoa following him closely with an undying, happy expression on her face. Her apparent excitement towards the whole situation was only a source of further annoyance, and worry, for the SeeD. It was bad enough she practically forced him to let her tag along – but, she also had no idea what she had risked by coming. Squall had already been hesitant to come, but with Rinoa having joined him…he was even more so – practically fearful. If something were to happen to her for any reason, regret would forever be his burden once again for having allowed her to throw herself into the midst of it all. Just the mere thought of such an event occurring tied his stomach in knots as his nerves racked – the endless guilt and shame he'd suffer should such an event occur already feeling to swell inside of him for a moment. He had to protect her – not just for her sake…but his as well.

He glanced at Rinoa – the young, cheerful sorceress just smiling back at him as she remained blissfully unaware of everything. He forced a light smile back – but, deep down…his fears amounted to a terrible burden – amongst others.

They approached Doctor Odine's lab, both staring at it for a moment as Squall hesitated, yet again, to walk inside. The nature of Laguna's request was still buried in mystery – a fact that continuously nagged at Squall, filling him with a great discomfort and uncertainty. He had no idea what to expect – and with Rinoa alongside him…his doubts and dread only counted double.

As he continued to stare ahead in silence, seeming to rethink his choice to ever have come here, he heard Rinoa's voice break through his frame of mind.

"Well, shall we go?"

Squall lightly shook his head as he closed his eyes, resting his forehead in his hand, once again, as he tried to relax – Rinoa's words and apparent intrigue towards the whole event only giving him grief once more.

"_You just don't get it, do you?" _he thought to himself, _"This is already hard enough for me."_

He stood there for a moment as Rinoa looked at him in question and concern.

"…Squall?" she asked, in a quiet voice.

Squall didn't reply as he slowly lifted his head and sighed lightly, stepping forward as he headed inside Odine's lab – albeit, somewhat reluctantly.

* * *

As soon as they entered, they were greeted immediately by none other than the president of Esthar himself, Laguna Loire – the chipper man smiling widely upon their arrival. Kiros and Ward stood beside him, as always, as they nodded at Squall in acknowledgment.

"Heya, Squall! Long time, no see!"

He hurried over to the SeeD in excitement at the sight of his son – his cheery expression only serving to annoy Squall, unsurprisingly, as he turned his head away. Why did Laguna always have to be so lively, so loud? It had only been a year since they'd seen each other. It wasn't exactly reason to get excited – especially when it came to something like this.

"Glad ya' made it!" he said, "I was afraid word hadn't gotten to you or something."

Squall just scoffed lightly at his words.

"_Unfortunately, it did,"_ he thought, _"Thanks to you, I…"_

He cut his thought off right there as he grumbled quietly to himself. He'd rather not think about how much Laguna had messed up his night – despite how much he, too, had been looking forward to such. It wasn't like he needed anything else hanging over his head anyway.

Laguna glanced from Squall to Rinoa - the sight of the latter both pleasing, and confusing, him at once.

"Hey, Rinoa," he said, "Didn't expect you to show up. How've you been?"

Rinoa smiled at his words as she was about to answer, when Squall cut in before she could even say one word.

"Why did you call me here?" he asked, a hint of aggravation in his voice, "What's going on?"

"Oh, right!" Laguna replied, laughing lightly as he put his hand behind his head, "Sorry, got a bit distracted for a moment."

Squall folded his arms as he looked away once again, briefly.

"_This is ridiculous,"_ he thought to himself, _"I've been here ten seconds and this guy is already driving me crazy."_

"Anyway," Laguna said, "Odine's been working on some kind of new experiment or something lately. I thought you might be interested in it."

Squall looked at him in question as he tipped his head slightly. Laguna's words had certainly piqued his interest, but mainly due to the suspicion they drew from him. Odine's experiments, from his experience anyway, usually brought nothing but trouble for everybody – three immediately coming to mind as he had come across each of them just the previous year. The fact that Laguna was so into this one, and actually bothered to believe he would be too, was a bit troubling – to say the least.

"…What is it?" he asked, a bit reluctant to actually know.

Before Laguna could answer, another voice broke in – one all too eager, at that.

"I can speak now? Iz it my turn?"

They all looked to see Odine walk up behind Laguna with an excited expression on his face.

"Oh, ze SeeD has come! Vonderful!" he cheered, jumping up and down a little, "Zis is good timing!"

"_What is _that_ supposed to mean?_" Squall thought to himself.

Odine stopped jumping as he noticed Rinoa standing next to Squall - a curious expression on the young sorceress' face as she stood in silence, taking in the whole conversation with utmost interest.

Squall was a bit puzzled by Odine's words as he thought on them for a moment. They had only served to fuel his suspicion and his discomfort from before was beginning to resurface rather quickly.

"Can we get to the point already?" he asked, a clear tone of annoyance in his voice, "What's so important?"

Odine turned back to him upon hearing his voice, immediately getting excited once again at even the thought of being able to share yet another "great success" of his.

"It iz my newest experiment, err…more so, an invention of sorts," he explained, "Come. Zis way."

Squall and Rinoa followed Odine, Laguna, and his aides over to the window at the back of his lab and peered through into the chamber below – the sight of a massive computer-like screen positioned on the wall the first thing to greet the duo as they glanced at each other in question.

"…What is that?" Squall asked, looking back at Odine.

Odine only smiled at his curiosity as he happily began to explain.

"It iz simple," he said, "Ze computer here iz linked to ze large monitor in there. Once you enter, I power on ze two machines. Upon detecting ze presence of ze person, ze monitor below sends a signal back to zis one gathered from ze mindset and statistics of ze subject. Once ze figures are calculated, ze machine manifests ze data into a physical form."

His words intrigued, though greatly mystified, Squall as he thought on them for a moment. Odine had made some odd, and also rather chilling, inventions in the past – but, this was beyond such. He had never heard of such a thing before and even coming from Odine…it was difficult to grasp.

Squall glanced from the doctor to Laguna in question – his expression clearly anticipating some sort of explanation better understood. Seeing the look on his face, Laguna happily obliged as he reiterated on Odine's words.

"Basically, it's a battle simulator," he said, holding his hand to his chin, "Through a quick scanning process of the subject, it collects the necessary data and uses that to create a challenge based on their ability."

Squall looked away at his words as he closed his eyes.

"…_I'll never understand this guy."_

Laguna glanced at Squall in question as he paused for a moment - lowering his head as he scrolled it side to side, studying Squall's expression.

"You okay…?"

Rinoa looked at Squall.

"…Squall?" she asked, the concern in her voice evident once again.

Squall turned his head back toward Laguna as he looked at him intently – a rather stern-looking expression on his face, though Laguna didn't think too much of it. Squall pretty much wore the same expression all the time. It wasn't anything to be too worried about.

"So, you called me here to try out some stupid toy?" he grumbled.

"It iz not a "toy"! Odine shouted, jumping up and down in offense, "Zis invention iz a whole new level of science! It could only be created by ze mind of me, Odine!"

Squall closed his eyes once more for a moment in a bit of exasperation. Things were only sounding more stupid the longer he stayed here and he could feel the restless urge to leave quickly rising inside of him. This whole situation was only proving to have been utterly pointless – and he wasn't fond of the fact that he and Rinoa had missed their date because of it. He really had to wonder why he'd ever accepted the task and come here in the first place. If there had ever been an acceptable time to shirk his responsibilities…this had been it. He was only angered by his choice of action up to now.

"…Whatever," he mumbled at the tenacious doctor, "I don't see how _I'm_ important to this. You couldn't just ask someone else? What about Laguna?"

Laguna appeared somewhat embarrassed as he forced a light laugh, looking at the floor as he placed his hand on the back of his head.

"Err…well, uh…about that. You see…" he stuttered.

"Simply put..." Kiros cut in, "He already did – just not very well though. Odine wants someone with…better ability, if I should say."

Laguna turned around at his friends' words, seemingly offended.

"Hey, man! Why do you have to put me down like that? I've got plenty of ability!" he argued.

Rinoa held her hand to her mouth, chuckling to herself at Laguna's words and actions as she stood beside Squall - the latter only filled with a growing contempt toward the whole situation as he stood there in morification_ for_ the president of Esthar. It was moments like this that really made him question their relation once again.

Laguna turned back toward Squall quickly, clearly determined to defend himself before his own son.

"It's just that…you know, I haven't done this kind of thing in a while. The last time I held a weapon was during the Sorceress War eighteen years ago. I'm just a little rusty, that's all."

Squall looked away once more at Laguna's words. He wanted to laugh or speak up on the subject, but he managed to refrain – instead, scoffing lightly under his breath. There was no point in saying anything on the matter anyway. It was just another situation where things were better left unsaid.

Laguna cleared his throat as he attempted to act nonchalant. He looked at Squall – the unyielding stern, yet calm expression on the SeeD's face. Even though he still didn't quite understand how someone could always be so serious and blunt, he nevertheless found it rather amusing. Ironically, the more Squall tried to push someone away…the more he'd attract them.

"Anyway," he said, regaining his prior composure, "It doesn't matter. You're here now – so why don't you try it out. It's fun!"

He stood proudly, chest out and hands on his waist as he spoke.

Squall stood silently for a moment as he took it all in – the whole thing seeming no less senseless than before. Why would Odine even create such a mechanism? It didn't sound like it had any real purpose whatsoever – which was odd, as from his experience…the cunning doctor always had some logic behind his experiments – good or bad. It just didn't seem like Odine to actually create something that wouldn't come with consequences - as was the apparent case with this latest device.

He folded his arms once more as he looked toward Odine.

"…I'm not really interested," he mumbled, "I also don't have the time. You'll have to find another volunteer. I'm not too fond of being someone's "subject" in anything."

Odine was quick to jump at his words once again – overly excited and reactive to such a response.

"In order to utilize its fullest potential, I need ze best subject possible! As leader of SeeD, your skills are ze most promising! They shall provide me with invaluable data!"

Squall was suspicious of Odine's choice of words as he looked at him intently. Why was he seemingly so desperate to get him to try out the device? The worry and alarm in the doctor's voice at his rejection filled the young commander with an odd, rising feeling of discomfort – above others.

"So, what do you say?" Laguna said, pestering him a bit, "Be a sport, just this once, huh? Besides, it's a great stress reliever!"

_"You stress?"_ Squall joked to himself.

He thought to himself for a moment as he went over everything. Though the doctor's odd words echoed in his mind, his suspicion remaining restless - he had to admit he was at least a little curious about it all. The mere thought of finding out what kind of challenge the machine would choose for him was rather enticing to the SeeD. After all, the battles in the Training Center had proven rather underwhelming – leaving him bored and dissatisfied when all was done. If Odine really was such a genius and certain of the device's ability…it was the one chance he had to really test himself. Besides…he really could use a punching bag right now for everything he was feeling.

"Come on, Squall, " Rinoa said, softly, as she looked at him, "It could be fun, right?"

Squall turned toward her in question – and a bit of surprise.

"…But…what about…?" he asked, quietly.

Rinoa laughed lightly as she dropped her head for a second. She knew what he was thinking, but honestly…she didn't care too much anymore. As long as they were together…it didn't matter to her where they were. Though this wasn't exactly the kind of moment either of them had envisioned…it was nevertheless what had happened – and she was willing to make the most of it however she could.

She looked back up at Squall, both staring at each other intently in silence as she smiled at him – the SeeD closing his eyes once again in reluctance, and apology, as he finally obliged.

"…Fine." he mumbled.

He turned toward Odine as he made his decision – the reluctance and frustration more than evident in his voice and body language.

"…I'll do it, alright," he grumbled, "Happy?"

"Alright!" Laguna cheered, throwing one arm in the air excitedly.

Squall looked at Odine, the expression on his face clearly stating his anxiety to get this over with. He wasn't doing it as a favor – it was only because they clearly wouldn't take "no" for an answer, much to his chagrin. He just wanted to get them all out his hair and be gone. He and Rinoa could still make their date if he could do this quick enough...and his confidence was not in question.

"What do I do?" he asked.

Odine was ecstatic at Squall's compliance as he pointed to the chamber below.

"There!" he said, "Once inside ze chamber, I shall begin ze process. It should take no more than a few seconds."

Squall nodded lightly as he quietly headed for the lab's entrance without a word - Rinoa watching him with a smile as he made his way out.

"Be careful, okay?" she said.

Squall glanced back at her – the concern on her face filling him with gratitude – and confusion. Hadn't she been the one to suggest he go for it? Why did she suddenly seem so worried about him? It was just another thing about her he couldn't quite come to understand.

Squall shook it off moments later as he lightly held up his hand to signal a "wave" to her. It was just in Rinoa's persona to care about the people in her life – especially when it came to him. The thought of exactly what kind of foe he would face in this endeavor stuck on her mind even as she'd convinced him to make the decision he had. Though she had confidence in him, she nevertheless couldn't help but wonder about those words. No challenge so far had proven too difficult for Squall – but, who was to say he just hadn't found it yet? Even if the one he was about to face wasn't exactly real, just the thought got to her. She was pretty sure he'd be okay…but, the fear was there, nonetheless.

"Show 'em what you got, Squall!" Laguna cheered again, "We'll be watching!"

Squall kept walking, now dropping his forehead into his hand as he shook his head lightly at Laguna's words and excitement. It was rather embarrassing to know that the man he should be expected to call "father" was more immature than he was. How did that sort of thing happen anyway?

* * *

A few minutes later, everyone watched as they saw Squall enter the chamber below the lab. He walked to the center of the room and looked up at the window.

"Now what?" he asked, throwing his hands out in question.

"Just wait there!" Laguna answered, "Odine's switching on the device."

Right as he'd said that, Odine typed in an access code and the computer changed to a screen of three loading bars that rapidly filled one after another. Once completed, the monitor in the chamber appeared to activate as the massive screen blinked for a moment before three small, red lasers emitted and shown on Squall's body – the SeeD standing completely still as the scanning process officially commenced. He could feel his discomfort, and anxiety, begin to resurface as his stomach got butterflies…but, he tried to ignore it. His nerves racked a bit as he thought he felt his heart beat a bit heavier – a fact that more so left him disgruntled than unsettled. It was just a device used for simulating battles – which he was all-too familiar with. What was there to really be concerned about anyway? He quickly shook it all off as the lasers disappeared – the scanning process seemingly complete.

Rinoa glanced from Squall below to Doctor Odine.

"…What now?" she asked, concerned by the seeming delay in the process.

"It iz retrieving ze necessary data for ze analysis," Odine answered, calmly, "Once complete, ze process vill enter ze final step."

Rinoa was a bit cautious about his words as a strange feeling of uncertainty came over her. She peered back through the big window down at Squall, still waiting for the process to finish. He appeared to be impatient – just standing there, alone, waiting for something to happen – whatever it was, as he folded his arms. She couldn't help but chuckle yet again at the sight. His demeanor; his personality: so stoic, serious, and confident – all ever-unchanging. He looked so annoyed, but she couldn't help laughing. Watching him now, quietly, the Commander of SeeD eagerly awaiting his challenge, his intolerance towards the whole scenario clearly growing as he stood there - he was just so cute in everything he did; every way he behaved. Her laughter turned to a smile as she kept watching - her eyes locked on him as he continued to stand in the center of the chamber below, waiting; growing more restless with each passing second. It was his evident anxiety that filled her with such humor. Whether he knew it or not, Squall had the tendency to be funny even when he was clearly irritable.

"It iz here!" Odine cheered, jumping with glee once again.

Rinoa, Laguna, Kiros, and Ward all stepped up to the computer behind Odine as a bunch of numbers populated the screen – the number growing rapidly as the digits seemed to have no end.

"What is all of this?" Rinoa asked.

"Ze calculations of ze SeeD's statistics for battle," Odine replied, "We are almost ready!"

Laguna stared at the ever-changing numbers on the screen – seemingly impressed by the massive calculations.

"Wow," he said, "This seems kind of excessive for a simple scan."

Odine was unfazed by his words and thoughts on the matter as he kept staring at the screen intently.

"In science, there can be no shortcuts." he said.

Rinoa took one last glance down toward Squall as he continued waiting - still rather impatiently, at that.

"It iz complete!" Odine shouted, ecstatically.

Rinoa quickly turned back toward the computer at the sound of his voice just in time to see what appeared to a wire-framed model of Squall's physical being on the screen – the sight greatly interesting, yet confounding, her as she looked at it closer.

"…Is that…?" she asked, cutting herself off before she could finish.

Odine didn't reply directly as he typed in another code – a loading bar appearing at the bottom of the screen as it rapidly filled.

"Now, we shall see ze SeeD's true ability." he said, in a strange tone.

Rinoa's prior feeling of worry and discomfort returned at his words as she, again, walked over to the window – looking into the chamber below at Squall once more. A swell of great unease came over her as her nerves racked, much like his before, and her stomach tied in knots. She couldn't be certain if it was fear or just sheer anxiety – but, whatever it was…she couldn't help but now feel regret for having encouraged Squall to participate in this experiment. She placed on hand on the window as she glanced down - grabbing her pendant as she stared at it for a moment before looking back in at Squall.

"_Come on," _Squall grumbled in his head, _"What the hell is going on? What's taking so long?"_

He thought about leaving – just walking out of the room and taking Rinoa with him as they'd head back toward Balamb. He was sick of waiting. For all he knew, something had gone wrong: the experiment was a fail or one of the computers shut down. Either way, his patience was growing thin – if not, already gone. He had wasted enough time. This was just getting irritating now.

He turned his head as he finally quickly reached his decision.

"…_I'm outta' here. I've got better things to do than wait around while I'm used as some stupid lab rat," _he thought, _"What was I even thinking? This is ridiculous."_

No sooner had he started to turn around, however, did he hear the sound of the monitor in the chamber turn back on. He quickly turned his attention in its direction as the whole screen went red.

"What…?" he asked himself, looking at in perplexity.

Seconds later, he witnessed a unique occurrence as another small, thin laser, greenish in color, shot out of the monitor and began appearing to create something. Squall watched as the simulation started off unrecognizable – only what seemed to be feet appearing at first as it slowly built towards a clearer manifestation.

Rinoa, Laguna, and the others watched in awe with Squall as they witnessed the simulation slowly come to life before them.

"I wonder what it is." Laguna said, watching in anticipation and excitement.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure the kid can handle it," Kiros stated, "He's got skills far beyond his years."

Rinoa felt a bit of comfort at Kiros' words as she remained silent, continuing to stare into the chamber down at Squall as the simulation neared completion – all the while, Odine watching with a strange gleam in his eye.

"Here it comes," he said, in a strange voice.

They all watched as the manifestation of Squall's selected opponent finally came to life – the sight of such leaving everyone, even the SeeD himself, in complete shock as they stared at it speechlessly.

"What the-? Seriously?!" Laguna shouted, his eyes widening as he pressed his hands against the window.

"Wow," Kiros said, "Didn't see that coming, somehow."

Rinoa's stomach dropped as her eyes remained locked on the foe before Squall. She now knew where her sudden feeling of unease from before had come from - and she could, again, feel her nerves racking once more as her mind quickly filled with great worry for the SeeD. It had been completely unexpected and unforeseen in every way. It was the one thing Squall would have never anticipated; that no battles he fought could have ever prepared him for. This was an entirely new foe – and the sight of it had completely shattered any peace of mind the young sorceress had previously held.

"...Squall…" she said, softly, her voice shaking drastically as she stared down at him – the fear more than evident in her tone as she clutched her pendant tightly once again.

Squall stood face to face with his foe as he remained at a loss for words – completely dumbfounded by the whole event. What in the world was going on? How was this possible? Could he really be seeing what was standing before him now? He kept his eyes locked on the simulated entity – both staring each other down intently as Squall tried to wrap his mind around the strange phenomenon. It was just too surreal to believe. Out of everything he had experienced in his life, this was by far the most unimaginable yet.

"…You've got to be kidding me!" he said, as he kept his eyes locked on the adversary before him.


	8. Playing With Fire

**Phenomenon**

**Playing With Fire**

Squall stood wide eyed – completely taken aghast by the sight before him. Of all opponents Odine's device could have chosen for him, this was the selection? He didn't know what to say or think about such a bizarre foe – none other than an exact replica; a carbon copy of the young commander. It had all of his characteristics down to the core: from its stance, to its height, appearance – everything about him was more than evidently reflected in the simulated copy that stood silently across from the SeeD.

Squall was briefly disillusioned by the sight of the replica as he dropped his forehead onto his hand and closed his eyes. This was way too bizarre to be real. There was no way this could be right. Of all challenges, himself was the only thing Odine's device could come up with? For some reason, he had a hard time believing that. This brought his opinion of the doctor's lunacy to a whole new level.

"I don't believe this." he mumbled, as he shook his head lightly.

He glanced from the simulation to the big window above where Rinoa and the others watched intently – the sorceress and Laguna still clearly shocked by the sight of his opponent.

"A clone?" Laguna thought aloud.

He turned toward Odine in question – the doctor just turning toward the president calmly as he glanced from him to the others before speaking.

"You are confused, are you?" he said, "Ze situation comes az no surprise really. Given ze SeeD's statistics, ze calculations were to be expected."

"What do you mean?" Rinoa asked, curiously.

"Ze SeeD's prowess and ability to seamlessly adapt to any flow of battle were ze key contributors in ze machine's analysis," Odine replied, "He iz so adept at zis point zat there iz only one person whom could possibly stand against him easily."

He turned back toward the window – looking in at Squall once again as his eyes locked on the young commander intently.

"Ze information iz rather astounding," he said, "We shall find out just how well ze SeeD knows himself."

Everyone focused their complete attention on the two Squalls. Seeing their faces, the SeeD knew what was on their minds as he looked ahead at the adversary before him once again.

"_This is too weird,"_ he thought to himself, _"Fight myself? Are they serious?"_

He shook his head lightly as he sighed to himself – seeing there was no way around it as he looked in the direction of the simulation once more. Though the idea of fighting himself was rather unsettling to the SeeD, the situation was nevertheless what had been selected for him – and he'd do his best to make due with the scenario he'd been faced with. He positioned himself to fight, his Lionheart grasped tightly in both hands - the latter doing the same as it got into position, copying him to a tee in stance and expression as it stood as proud and confident as the SeeD. Squall stared down the imitation once again, unhesitant – the cold, harsh stare in the latter's eyes sending a brief shiver down his spine, though he quickly shook it off. He wasn't going to back down no matter what – especially from an imitation. After all…he'd faced much more intimidating foes than this. Compared to that, a replica was nothing in his mind.

"…Let's just get this over with." he said to himself. The replica merely smirked at his words as the battle officially got underway.

Squall rushed toward the replica as the latter did the same, both rapidly closing in on each other as the SeeD quickly swung his sword – starting off with Rough Divide as the replica performed the same action.

Both Squalls landed across from each other, back to back – their attacks nullifying each other.

"What?" Squall asked, looking back at the replica in surprise.

The replica rose to its feet as it braced to fight again. Squall stood up as well and did the same – shaking off his state of shock as he clutched his gunblade firmly once again while staring at the replica intently.

"Okay," he muttered, "I guess I should seen have seen that coming."

He closed his eyes for a moment as he took a deep breath, opening them again as he hurried toward the replica once more.

As the two approached each other, Squall brought his gunblade up from his side as he went for another blow – the replica mirroring his attack as the two weapons collided. With each blow Squall delivered, the replica was one step ahead – the fighters' shared mindset working to its advantage as it would neutralize any of the SeeD's attempts effortlessly.

Squall quickly began to get annoyed as he spun around, whirling his gunblade out to the side as he went for a wide swipe. Anticipating such, the replica mimicked him once again in perfect synchronization – another attack rendered useless as the weapons collided once more. At the same time, they both then lifted their weapons above their heads – bringing them down hard as their actions resulted in a gridlock – the sound of metal clanging echoing throughout the chamber. They both immediately attempted to break free from the hold simultaneously – only resulting in knocking each other back as they went into another standstill.

"Woo!" Laguna cheered, excitedly, "Good stuff! I've never seen such an even battle before in my life! Come on, Squall, show 'em who's boss!"

Rinoa glanced from Laguna back to the window as she grabbed her pendant tightly – her eyes fixating on the duel once again as she stared in at Squall.

"Alright then," Squall mumbled, "If sword techniques won't work, maybe something else."

Squall lowered his gunblade to his side, a fact which appeared to perplex the replica as it waited for his next move. Squall then held out his palm - smirking at the replica before he proceeded to unleash three consecutive fire spells. However, the replica quickly rolled to the side – successfully dodging another attempt by the SeeD. Still sure he could outsmart the imitation, Squall then raised his hand above his head in preparation for a flare spell – the replica quickly responding by performing the same action. The spells collided halfway as a massive explosion of heat burst between them and Squall shielded his eyes, quickly turning away.

When the blast subsided, Squall turned back toward the replica with a fierce glare – his impatience and frustrations towards the whole scenario rapidly increasing as he finally reached his peak.

"Alright, fine," he grumbled, "Let's see how you handle _this_!"

He grasped his gunblade firmly as he lifted it above his head – channeling all his aggression into a single attack as he unleashed Blasting Zone. The massive beam stretched across the chamber toward the replica – but it dodged the attack at the last moment, catching Squall off-guard as it jumped into the air and came down on him. The SeeD barely managed to act in time as he quickly jumped back to avoid it and they returned to close-range combat.

Squall charged at the replica with a heated expression, the latter waiting intently as he met the SeeD on even grounds once again – their weapons clashing together as they stood in gridlock. Squall glared at the imitation with a burning intensity in his eyes as his teeth clenched. As he went to break the hold again, the replica acted fast – throwing its weight to the side and causing the SeeD to stumble forward as he was momentarily disoriented by the event.

Squall quickly yanked his head back around, only to witness the replica's weapon coming at him rapidly. He moved his head to the side as the blade just missed his face – but, suddenly felt a sharp pain in his wrist as it managed to pierce his skin. The SeeD winced in pain as he held his wrist to his torso, standing in a hunched position as he tried to catch his breath from the shock; the whole ordeal taking him by complete surprise. For a fake foe, the pain it delivered felt disturbingly real. He hadn't felt so much since the day Seifer had given him the scar that now ran across his face.

He tried to regain his stance as he glanced at the replica one more time – doing his best to block out the pain as he stood straight again, staggering a little from the injury. He slowly lifted his Lionheart to his torso, carefully clutching it with both hands again – the pain from the gash returning as he still tried to ignore it, though wincing from such as he grunted lightly. His eyes focused on the replica before him, the intensity he held burning like the heart of a lion as the whole situation only served to fuel his anger - and it quickly grew into rage.

"Son of a BITCH!" he yelled, angrily.

His emotions winning him over, Squall began striking at the replica with whatever came to mind first – only giving the imitation a bigger advantage. Despite his injury, Squall's determination, and deep-seated aggression, was enough to fuel him with the needed stamina as he managed to maintain his grip on the weapon with an uncanny ease. He whirled his gunblade in hand at his side as he held out his palm – rushing the imitation with ferocity like he'd never had before. He made a hard swing to the right, but the replica simply stepped aside to dodge it. The SeeD responded immediately with the same blow to the left – the imitation merely moving back over as it parried that blow as well. His aggression only increasing with each strike, Squall then went for his last resort: spinning around and jumping into the air – performing a mid-air assault as he made a strong, downward thrust with his gunblade. The replica remained calm, however, reflecting the former's resilience as it braced against the assault. Before Squall could act again, it ceased the open opportunity – using the exertion of the SeeD's force against him and causing him to stumble backward this time. As Squall stood staggering for a moment, the replica took advantage of his vulnerability and utilized his own techniques against him – unleashing a powerful, upward thrust: Rough Divide - the force of the blow sending the SeeD flying backward across the chamber.

"WHOA!" he yelled.

"SQUALL!" Rinoa cried in horror, near tears as she witnessed the harrowing sight.

Squall slammed onto the ground, dazed and confused, grunting from the heavy impact as he coughed drastically. He felt the effect of his previous injury resurface as he lay on the floor, writhing in pain. He winced, trying to ignore it – but, his efforts proving futile this time. He could only wonder to himself as he remained on the hard, cold floor – pondering the whole ordeal in his head. Why couldn't he do it? What was it going to take? If anyone wielded the potential to beat him – it was him. He couldn't even begin to fathom it all. It was no longer just surreal – but, embarrassing; humiliating to the young SeeD that he could possibly lose to a mere imitation – or at all, for that matter.

Odine monitored the battle carefully, his attention undivided, as his eyes lay fixated on the debilitated teen.

Rinoa's heart beat heavily as her stomach dropped - her knees trembling beneath her as she felt sick at the sight of Squall lying on the floor. It had been her greatest fear from the moment the battle had started – and seeing it come true before her very eyes was too much as panic overtook her. She could only watch helplessly, hoping and begging he would get up.

After a few more seconds, Squall slowly forced himself to a standing position - struggling a little to do so from his injuries once again. He glared ahead at the replica - the confidence and cockiness of the SeeD reflected in its stance as the very sight only angered him more. He tried to relax, however, breathing heavily as he managed to regain his composure – his gunblade clasped firmly in hand once more.

"Wow," Laguna said, impressed by Squall's durability, "Didn't think he'd get back up after that one."

"It's definitely incredible," Kiros agreed, "I've never seen such an amazing display in my life."

Odine remained silent as he continued to watch the heated duel with even more intrigue.

"What do I do?" Squall asked himself, "It knows my next move even before I do. How can I beat it when it's always one step ahead?"

He closed his eyes as he thought carefully, focusing on the situation – and recalling a specific memory at that moment: Odine's words ringing in his ears as the recollection rose to the front of his mind.

"_Ze monitor below sends a signal back to zis one gathered from ze mindset and statistics of ze subject."_

He opened his eyes and they immediately locked on the replica. It all made sense. In that one, brief instance he had finally come to realize the key detail he had failed to notice before. He had been so determined – so driven by the sheer desire to conquer himself that his stubbornness had gotten the best of him as he'd allowed his pride to cloud his common sense. Seeing the obvious now, however…he had to wonder why it could have possibly taken so long to notice in the first place.

"How could I be so stupid?" he grumbled, "If there's one weakness I have…it's that I can't back down from a challenge."

He stared down the replica in the same manner as when their battle first began, his gunblade lowering to his side as he stood across from the foe boldly – a whole new strategy suddenly forming in his head.

"Well…better late than never," he said to himself, "Hey!"

The replica looked at him at the sound of his voice as Squall proceeded to taunt it.

"You think you've got me? It's not over yet, you pathetic imitation!"

"What's he doin'?" Laguna asked - confused, curious, and intrigued by Squall's unexpected actions.

The replica appeared angered, and flustered, by Squall's words as the latter took the ample opportunity that had opened up - rushing toward it once more. Right as he would have gone for a strike, the replica took the expected action and moved aside – Squall instead, rolling forward and kicking it from behind as he rose to his feet. The unexpected change in the SeeD's tactic caught the replica off-guard and it stumbled forward.

"Who-oa!" Laguna remarked, clearly impressed once again, "I've never seen Squall move like that before!"

Odine only smirked at the change in scenario.

"He has figured out ze key: in order to overcome one's self, one must completely deviate from what they know; do something zat not even they themselves expect. You can't think - you just act."

Kiros nodded in understanding at the doctor's words.

"Of course," he mumbled, "The simulation is only programmed with Squall's original mindset. When Squall changed his tactic, the replica was no longer able to foretell what he would do next – easily turning the tide of battle in Squall's favor."

Odine's attention remained fixed on the fight below while he continued to watch gleefully at Squall's prowess and adaptability, their full extent playing out completely before his very eyes.

"It iz just az I suspected," he muttered, in an eccentric tone, "Ze commander of SeeD iz an intriguing one for sure."

Squall smirked at the long-awaited success as he whirled his gunblade at his side like before – his eyes fixating intently on the replica once again.

"Is that all you've got?" he mocked, "Come on. I'll wipe the floor with you!"

He held his hand out toward it with a notion to come at him – a sly expression expanding across his face.

Seemingly surprised by Squall's drastic alterations in battle, the replica rushed at him again - the SeeD seeing his opportunity as he now hurried forward as well once more. As expected, the replica attempted another Rough Divide – but, Squall quickly slid under it and immediately proceeded to jump into the air – performing a spiral-like action as he came down rapidly on the baffled foe. At the last minute, he threw his gunblade out to the side – slashing at the replica in a style comparing to that of Zantetsuken.

He landed on the ground in a kneeling position behind the replica as he smirked to himself.

"…You're history."

At those words, the replica dropped to its knees in defeat before tearing in half at the torso and quickly faded away.

Squall rested his Lionheart on his shoulder as he rose to his feet for the final time, standing boastfully at his victory.

"WOO-HOO!" Laguna cheered loudly, "That's what I'm talkin' about! Way to go, Squall!"

Kiros laughed lightly to himself at the impressive display he'd just witnessed.

"I've got to admit…that was rather exhilarating."

Odine didn't respond, once again, as he looked in at Squall in apparent delight – a strange gleam showing faintly in his eyes.

"Come on!" Laguna said, motioning toward the doorway as he headed out to meet up with Squall while Rinoa and Odine remained in the lab. The doctor finished performing an analysis on the battle before finally switching off the monitor - turning toward Rinoa almost immediately and approaching her slowly with a peculiar expression on his face.

"Sorceress?" he asked, in a low tone.

"Hm?" she asked, turning toward him at the sound of his voice, "Oh. Doctor Odine. Is something wrong?"

At that moment, Squall glanced up at the window to Odine's lab – the conversation between the doctor and Rinoa immediately catching his attention as he looked at them, an ominous feeling overcoming the SeeD as he stood watching for a moment. However, the sound of the chamber doors opening instantly distracted him as he was met by Laguna, Kiros, and Ward - the trio happily congratulating him as they wasted no time in doting on his display of prowess.

"That was awesome!" Laguna shouted in ecstasy, "To see it from my perspective – man, I was on the edge of my seat!"

They all looked at him in question for a moment as he realized what he had said.

"Well, you know - so to speak." he reiterated.

Squall didn't reply – merely closing his eyes again as he reflected on the battle one last time.

"Are you okay?" Kiros asked, remembering the wound Squall had suffered.

Squall dropped his head a little – opening his eyes as he checked his wrist. The blood was mostly dried up now, but the gash remained as clear as when it had first been given to him. Though he was still rather angered when he recalled that moment, he quickly got over it – dropping his hand again as he remained silent. What was the point in worrying about it? It was just another battle scar anyway. One was bound to suffer such wounds at some point when they were fighting – no matter what the circumstances. Besides, it wasn't all that bad - it made him feel good when he recalled how swiftly he had turned the tides on the replica, making the mark seem that much more worth it. And, now that it was all over…he could focus on what really mattered; the one thing he wanted more than anything else – especially now.

"…I'm fine. Thanks." he said, in his usual stoic tone.

He slowly lifted his head back toward the window into the lab, expecting to find Rinoa – but, surprised when he discovered she was no longer there.

"_Rinoa…?"_ he wondered, an expression of concern and perplexity sweeping over his face as he stared up at the empty window.

* * *

Squall rushed into Odine's lab to find Rinoa lying unconscious on the floor – with the doctor standing over her.

"RINOA!" he hollered, alarmingly, as he hurried over to her.

He studied the young sorceress's condition carefully as she appeared unharmed - much to his surprise, and relief. Still, just the sight of her put him on edge as he turned toward Odine.

"What happened to her?" he asked, anger and assumption clear in his tone.

Odine retained his composure – turning toward Squall with a seemingly perplexed expression as he spoke.

"I waz just finishing up ze analysis when she suddenly passed out. I have been trying to determine ze cause of her condition."

Squall was silent for a moment as he looked at Odine – a look of suspicion from his words evident on the SeeD's face as he turned back to Rinoa. It didn't make sense. Just moments ago, she was fine – her condition appearing perfectly normal as he had seen her engage in conversation with the doctor. Now, suddenly she lay before him, still and silent – as if he had imagined the whole thing. He was nothing short of bewildered as he stared down at the incapacitated sorceress - the same feeling of discomfort from before quickly sweeping over him again as he slowly kneeled down beside her.

"Rinoa. Come on. Wake up!" he pleaded.

Rinoa didn't respond in any way – continuing to lie on the floor, unnerved and unmoving, as Squall could only stare in silence. He sat there, thinking to himself - trying to imagine every possible scenario…but, nothing came to mind; no logical explanation as to Rinoa's sudden condition – much to his dismay. This was just another puzzle he couldn't even begin to put together as he continued to stare at the sorceress in shock – and regret. It was exactly as he'd feared from the moment they had arrived – and though he hated to think in such a way, he couldn't help feeling responsible for the whole ordeal.

However…as he dwelled on that thought for a moment, he suddenly realized something – a conclusion that only made more sense the more he thought about it. It had been so obvious in retrospect. This was no mere coincidence or just a sudden twist of fate. Given the current situation, and the time in which it had all occurred, it was clear to him who was really to blame for it all. Just the mere thought of how wrong he could have been about everything from the start, filled him with an immense grief; a shock and despair unlike anything he'd ever felt – or thought he _could _feel. He hated himself for not having realized it sooner – soon enough to prevent what had happened now. He shook his head in anger and disbelief – rage boiling within him as one face sat frozen at the front of his mind.

Laguna, Kiros, and Ward finally caught up to Squall as they dashed into the room – the same reaction as the SeeD upon seeing the scene before them as they stared in question.

"Hey…what happened to Rinoa? Is she alright?" Laguna asked.

Squall didn't reply, still kneeled beside her in silence with a stern expression on his face. How could he say something like that? How could he do such a heinous thing and not have the slightest remorse? How could he have such audacity towards those he considered "friends"; towards him – the person he ever dared to call his "son"? He didn't buy the act for a second.

"…She's fine…" he mumbled.

Laguna stared at Rinoa for a moment – her condition a puzzle to the usually chipper president as he thought to himself on the matter. He slowly walked up behind Squall, leaning over as he touched the SeeD's shoulder.

"She looks pretty bad," he said, "Come on. We'll take her to the palace. She'll be in good hands there."

Squall closed his eyes in exasperation as he sighed under his breath. Did they really think he was that stupid? After what they'd done to Rinoa, they actually expected him to entrust her care to them? He was only getting more upset with the whole predicament. He didn't want to talk; didn't want to think – especially if it pertained to Laguna. Right now, his only concern was Rinoa. He just wanted to get her back home – back to Garden, where she'd be with him; be safe, like she should have been – like she always had. That was all he cared about.

"Forget it," he said, curtly, "I'm taking Rinoa with me. She'll be fine at Garden. You've done enough."

The three men glanced at each other for a moment – completely speechless at his tone and words as they exchanged looks of confusion.

"Squall, wait a minute. Do you mind telling us what's going on?" Kiros asked, "What are you talking about?"

Squall didn't reply as he carefully placed his arms around the unconscious sorceress - gently caressing her as he slowly lifted her off the ground and stood up. He looked at her for a moment as he was overcome with emotion once more – anger, sorrow…and guilt, above all, as she lay silently in his arms. Still no sign of awareness as her head rested against his chest, Squall could barely stand the amount of regret he harbored as he stood there quietly - thinking to himself.

"…_Rinoa…"_

Laguna approached Squall again, albeit with caution, as he let out a sigh.

"Squall, come on," he said, an oddly sincere tone in his voice, "We're just trying to help."

His words only served to anger Squall further as he had finally had enough. They could pretend they cared about Rinoa all they wanted, but he wasn't going to buy into it. He was foolish enough to fall for their traps before – but, he knew better now. He'd had all he could take – especially for one day. If this was the game they were going to play, he wanted nothing to do with it. As far as he was concerned…their friendly relations ended here.

"Get out of my way, Laguna!" he grumbled, and immediately pushed past the president – Rinoa still lying motionless in his arms as he stormed toward the door to Odine's lab.

Laguna, Kiros, and Ward could only stare in astonishment at the whole event as they watched Squall walk away angrily.

"Squall, wait a second!" Laguna hollered - but the SeeD kept walking, unhesitant to leave them behind.

"Sorry about ze sorceress," Odine said, suddenly, "But, you have contributed marvelously to ze research!"

That strange gleam from before had returned to his eyes as he stood there, watching intently as Squall walked away – his last words in a hushed tone.

"Very marvelously, indeed..."

His fingers sat tucked together closely behind him, and clenched within…the same container that had previously held his experiment - now, sitting empty as the last drop trickled onto the floor.


	9. Shades of Gray

**Phenomenon**

**Shades of Gray**

Squall stood beside Rinoa's unconscious body as she lay on the bed in the infirmary – still motionless; unresponsive in any way to the world around her; to him. Just the sight of her, once again, filled him with regret and apology as he stood over her, sighing to himself. However, at the heart of such emotions, his anger at Laguna's betrayal still burned inside of him - and it only got worse when he thought about the condition he had put Rinoa in. He wanted to hate the man; wanted to beat him with his bare hands until he was as lifeless as her – his fist balling at the mere thought. He wanted to yell, or even break something – a sudden swell of strength beyond that of his natural ability rising inside of him. He'd never felt such aggression before in his life. He needed something; anything - whatever it took to satisfy the undying resent that raged fiercely within.

Still, despite his grief-stricken mind…he couldn't put all the blame on the president of Esthar – no matter how badly he wanted to. Though he knew he hadn't been directly responsible for what had happened to Rinoa, he still couldn't help but wonder: if he hadn't given in to Odine's pestering and taken on that challenge; hadn't accepted Laguna's request to go to Esthar, despite the concerns he'd held at the time – or, even been more firm when Rinoa had demanded to come along. If he had minded his own reservations and never gone in the first place…this whole thing could have been avoided. Such thoughts as these amounted to a terrible remorse that overwhelmed the young Commander as he stared down at the sorceress in silence.

"…_Rinoa." _he thought to himself, as he closed his eyes.

At that moment, he heard a voice emerge from the end of Rinoa's bed.

"Excuse me. Squall?"

He opened his eyes upon hearing his name and slowly turned his head to the left to see Doctor Kadowaki standing a few feet away – a look of sincerity reflected in her eyes and stance as she stared back at him. She seemed hesitant to speak – almost appearing to be biting her lip as she stood there for a moment, contemplating the whole scenario.

"…I'm sorry," she said, shaking her head lightly, "But, if you don't mind…"

Squall closed his eyes once more at her words before glancing back at Rinoa, still lying motionless on the bed – no sign of recovery apparent. He turned his head back toward Doctor Kadowaki, a distant look in his eyes as sorrow swept over his face. He looked like he would cry at any moment – yet, no hint of tears could be seen as he stood there, completely distraught on the matter at hand. She had never seen Squall in such an emotional state before – the sight, taking her by surprise as she looked at him with utmost sympathy.

"…Take care of her. Please." he mumbled.

"Of course," she replied, bowing, "She's in good hands. I promise."

Squall didn't reply - just sighing lightly as he slowly stepped past her toward the door, his head hung low.

"And, Squall…" Doctor Kadowaki said.

Squall stopped dead in his tracks at the sound of her voice, his back still turned to her as she spoke one last time.

"Don't blame yourself for what happened. You can't expect everything that comes your way."

Squall still kept silent, her words only filling him with further regret over Rinoa as he quietly exited the infirmary – the doors closing tight behind him as Doctor Kadowaki watched him leave.

Squall trekked slowly down the hall – thoughts of Rinoa, and the events surrounding her condition, still deeply engraved in his mind as he reflected on the whole predicament once again. However, his reminiscence was cut off this time at the sound of another familiar voice emerging from ahead.

"Squall?"

The voice had come out in a gentle tone as he slowly lifted his head to look forward, opening his eyes to see Quistis slowly walking toward him – her face bearing the same expression which Doctor Kadowaki had greeted him with only minutes prior. She quietly approached him, her emotions and thoughts reflected in her walk as she looked at him earnestly.

"Hey…," she said, in a soft voice, "How is she?"

She had been hesitant to ask, especially upon closer inspection of his face – the exact amount of guilt he bore towards the whole ordeal evident in his solemn expression. Nevertheless, she couldn't help but wonder. Like Squall, the burden was hers to bear as well.

Squall sighed to himself as he stared at the floor – eyes closed once again as he was silent for a moment.

"…It's too soon to tell," he mumbled, "We still don't even know what's wrong with her."

They both went silent again as Quistis folded her arms, her eyes fixating on the floor for a moment now, too, as she was overcome with grief, sympathy – and remorse.

"It's my fault," she said, quietly, her deep-seated regret evident in her tone, "I never should have persuaded you to go. With all of the speculation surrounding Esthar and Galbadia, I should have known better."

Squall still didn't reply as Quistis lifted her head back in his direction, sighing with great penitence at the entire situation. It had been bad enough when she'd learned of the alliance between friend and foe. Now, to know that her careless actions had resulted in Rinoa's mysterious debilitation – the burden only amounted double. She couldn't even begin to express the full extent of her regret.

"…I'm sorry…Squall."

Squall shook his head lightly at her words as he continued to hold his head down.

"Forget it," he said, in a low voice, "We could spend all day blaming ourselves for the situation, but it won't change what happened. I chose to go – despite your warnings. I knew the risks…and I still took them."

He folded his arms as he turned his head to the side, his next words easing her burden of guilt – but, replacing it with an immense pain towards the SeeD that surmounted the young headmaster, burrowing deep inside her heart.

"It's not your fault. I should have been more careful. I knew better than to let her out of my sight."

He dropped his head again as he spoke once more – his shoulders dropped; his voice shaking as his lips trembled at the mere thought of his words.

"It was me who was careless. What happened to Rinoa – it has nothing to do with you. You did your job. I didn't."

Quistis could only gasp lightly at his words as she looked at him in shock. Squall blamed himself far too harshly for Rinoa's condition. While she knew it was only because of how much he cared about her, she still couldn't help but feel he was taking more responsibility for it than he should have to. It took a moment like this to allow her to realize exactly how much they truly meant to each other – and her head dropped towards the floor again as she immediately went quiet once more.

"…Squall, I…" she mumbled.

She tried to think of something to say; something that might ease Squall's heavy burden, if even a little…but, nothing came to mind, much to her disappointment, as they both continued to stand in silence in the long, quiet hallway.

Squall sighed once again as he shook his head at the whole cycle of misfortune that had so suddenly come crashing down on them.

"…I'm out of here," he mumbled, as he started walking past her, "Later."

Quistis turned to watch him as he moved – the words she wanted to speak on the edge of her mouth, yet…she was unable to bring herself to say them. Just the sight of Squall in a slump as he quietly walked out of sight, was more than enough to make the headmaster choke up as she stared at him in silence – the same look from Doctor Kadowaki sweeping across her face again as she stared at him attentively.

* * *

Doctor Kadowaki turned her head towards the door to see Quistis enter the infirmary – her face bearing a look all-too familiar to the doctor as she quietly approached.

"Quistis." Doctor Kadowaki said, smiling lightly in attempt to ease her sorrow.

Though she didn't want to, Quistis couldn't bear to put the kind doctor in an awkward position – and she forced herself to smile for her sake, though still unable to completely hide all trace of her current state of mind.

Doctor Kadowaki nodded lightly in compliance, knowing what was on the young headmaster's mind, as she directed her towards the bed where Rinoa lay.

"Take your time," she said, in a gentle voice, "I'll be right over here."

She returned to her desk and began working at her computer as Quistis looked in towards Rinoa – her face dropping once again at the sight of her friend as she slowly walked up beside her. She stared down at the young sorceress for a moment - the face of the latter looking pale in the lighting of the hospice as the blond stood in silence at her side, arms folded once again. It was an unsettling sight; disheartening even, as she thought of how happy and lively Rinoa usually was. It was odd, to say the least; a terrible sense of anguish to see the ever cheerful girl lying so still before her – no sound; no motion whatsoever emerging from the sorceress's lifeless body as she remained completely unaware of her surroundings. The longer Quistis stood there, the easier it became for her to see the predicament from Squall's perspective – and her sorrow and regret towards the entire event only continued to rise with each passing moment.

She sighed to herself as she briefly closed her eyes, trying so hard to fight the tears at such an overwhelming sight. However, despite her efforts, a sniffle still emerged - preceded by a single tear as her remorse grew to a heightened level upon bearing witness to exact extent of her friend's condition. Though Squall may have told her not to bar herself down with any responsibility as to the situation, she still couldn't help but feeling such – her mind constantly recalling the moment she'd encouraged Squall to go to Esthar, unaware that she was coercing him into the exact position Laguna and Odine had intended. When she thought about her role in such a heinous plot, she couldn't help but feel angry at herself – if only a little. Despite what Squall may believe, she did have some responsibility to bear for the ordeal. She wasn't one to hold her actions in disregard – especially when it pertained to those she cared about.

"…Rinoa," she mumbled, her voice shaking between the tears that weaseled their way out, "I'm so sorry."

At those words, she dropped to her knees and buried her face in her hands – her head rested only inches from Rinoa's body as she kept crying to herself; spilling out her emotions to the friend she had unknowingly thrust into such a position. The heartache she felt from her careless actions brought upon a feeling of immeasurable pain, unlike before, that smacked her like the brunt of brick. She was angry at herself for allowing any of it to ever happen; for setting Rinoa up to become the victim of such callousness. The burden was beyond what the young headmaster could stand to bear alone – yet, with no one else to blame…what other choice did she have?

"You have to recover soon. Please." she pleaded, as she looked at the unconscious girl beside her with tear-filled eyes.

"Quistis?"

Upon hearing her name, Quistis immediately began wiping the tears from her eyes. Despite the current situation they faced, she still didn't want anyone to see her in such a vulnerable state – even if it was Doctor Kadowaki.

The doctor stood at the end of Rinoa's bed as she looked at the young woman with a deep concern – one arm folded across her torso while her chin rested on the other.

"On second thought…" she said, "Why don't you relax for a while? Take some time off and go rest up. You've barely slept lately."

Quistis slowly stood up as she looked back at the doctor in question, her eyes still a clear red from all of the crying – and traces of tears more than evident along her face, despite her attempts to conceal them.

"Doctor Kadowaki…" she said, uncertain of how to respond to such a suggestion.

The doctor slowly walked toward her with an intent expression as she gently placed her hand on the young headmaster's shoulder.

Quistis sighed to herself at the whole scenario as she tried to relax at the doctor's behest. However, it was much easier said than done.

"I don't know," she said, quietly, as she dropped her head, "I don't think I could right now. There's no way."

She shook her head at those last words as she stared at the floor, her guilt towards Rinoa still looming heavily over her head – try as she did to shake it. Another light sniffle emerged as a single tear gently trickled down her cheek.

Doctor Kadowaki removed her hand from the young woman's shoulder as she stood straight across from her, the same look of concern still clear on her face as she nodded.

"Nonsense. Doctor's orders."

She smiled lightly as she spoke - Quistis slowly lifting her head towards the elder woman once more as her compassion won the young headmaster over immediately.

She closed her eyes briefly, nodding lightly at the doctor as she finally gave in.

"…Okay," she said, in a hushed tone, "…Thank you. I'll be back later."

She quietly stepped past the doctor as she slowly made her way towards the door, her emotions surmounting her once again as she sniffled lightly. However, she fought the tears this time – her eyes only managing to water as she did her best to refrain from exposing her extreme vulnerability. The last thing she'd need was the students asking questions she couldn't even begin to answer.

She stepped through the doorway to the infirmary – the metal doors closing behind her immediately as she headed down the hallway in silence. Thoughts of Rinoa continued to plague her mind, but she did her best to remain unfazed. She needed to relax, now more than ever – and though she knew it wouldn't be easy, she nevertheless intended to do just that.

* * *

A few hours later at the fall of night, Deling arrived at the Deep Sea Research Facility at the far end of the ocean – the ever-eccentric Doctor Odine stepping out after him as they entered the solitary building. As they approached the pod in the center, Deling turned toward the doctor.

"I take it you have acquired the necessities?" he asked, in an assuming tone.

Odine quickly typed in a code on his metal briefcase, proceeding to reach inside as it opened - a midsize, capsule-like component containing what appeared to be a thick, red substance nestled inside as he carefully pulled it out. He slowly lifted it toward Deling as the president grabbed it tight, pulling it from his hands in an instant. He held the container to his face as he grinned widely at the sight.

"Job well done, doctor," he said, glancing at the overzealous man, "I must say I am impressed indeed. I commend your efforts wholeheartedly."

He then turned around and walked toward the massive pod in the center of the room, unhesitating to act as he slid the capsule into place on the side – careful to lock it in before heading back toward Odine. He approached the doctor in an almost menacing way as he looked at him intently.

"Now, for the final key." he said, a chilling tone in his voice as he moved.

Odine reached into his briefcase once more – this time, carefully pulling out a computer chip as he held it in the air.

"It iz right here," he said, showing it to Deling, "Ze data is all compacted into zis device."

Deling smirked at the doctor's words as he stared at the computer chip in his hands, the mere thought of his plan on the verge of completion filling him with delight.

"Excellent," he said, laughing lightly to himself, "Well, doctor…if you would do the honors."

Odine didn't reply as he immediately walked toward the computer set up at the nearby wall. He turned on the system and carefully slid the chip into its slot, a loading bar appearing at the bottom of the monitor before the compacted data finally transferred successfully - and a massive calculation quickly flooded the screen, once again, as the doctor watched proudly at his accomplishment.

After a few moments passed, the final step occurred: the calculations complete, the data immediately transferred from the monitor as it passed through the wires that ran along the ground – connected to the massive pod that now sat junctioned to the suspicious container.

"Ze process vill take a while, but it iz a guaranteed success," Odine said with assurance, "Ze analysis was gathered from ze subject az he performed."

Deling laughed slyly under his breath at the doctor's words as he watched the massive amount of data flow into the pod, the capsule of red liquid slowly draining in the meanwhile as he stood there with a cunning expression at the sight.

"In due time, SeeD," he said, smugly, "We shall see exactly what you're made of."


	10. Stormclouds

**Phenomenon**

**Stormclouds  
**

Squall laid on his bed, restless – the light of a new day shining in through the slits in the blinds of his window. It had just been another sleepless night for the Commander of SeeD – thoughts of Rinoa cluttering his mind, try as he had to shake them. It wasn't that he didn't care - he just needed to sleep. He couldn't remember the last time he'd really been able to close his eyes and just simply drift off – even if only for a few minutes. Something always managed to keep him from getting the rest he clearly deserved; clearly needed, especially now – and the current matter was of no exception. It sat at the front of his mind: that image of Rinoa lying still and lifeless on the bed in the infirmary. Just the mere recollection was enough to make him want to break down as he lay on his back, folding his arms over his eyes. They still had yet to figure out exactly what had happened to her – and the whole predicament only added to the amount of stress that had been building up inside of him for the past couple days. He was strong – but, even this kind of weight bore down on him heavily. He didn't know how much more he could take.

"_Another day. It's just another opportunity for more things to go wrong. I don't even want to think about it. I just want to sleep. I need to sleep." _he thought to himself.

He rolled onto his side, nearly closing his eyes before opening them right back up again.

"_Sleep? How can I? Galbadia and Esthar – we still don't know what they're up to. Garden needs me to keep it running; take care of everyone,"_ he thought, with reluctance, _"I can't just lie here and pretend there's nothing going on. Everyone is counting on me. I can't let them down. And, then there's Rinoa…"_

He rolled onto his back again as he stared up at the ceiling for moment – thoughts of Rinoa flooding his mind instantly as that same memory from before resurfaced.

"_What happened to Rinoa?" _he could only ask himself over and over as he pondered the whole ordeal once more. Alas, it was still as futile as before – him unable to make any more sense of the situation than previous attempts, much to his dismay - and frustration.

"_What did Laguna do to her anyway? What would he even want with her? What exactly is going on? There's so much I don't understand."_

He balled his fist tight at his side as he became angered, once more, by the thought of Laguna – still just as unforgiving towards him as before for the condition he'd put Rinoa in. It was still so hard for him to believe the man could do such a thing – but, the evidence to such was plain as day, nonetheless.

"_If anything happens to her, I'll…"_

He sighed to himself as he cut the thought off right there. His anger was only succeeding in feeding the immense stress he was under, and he didn't need it to get any worse. Despite his lingering aggression towards Esthar's president, he couldn't afford to dwell on the matter – for his own sake. Laguna wasn't worth the hassle.

He forced himself into a sitting position and slowly rose to his feet. He was still reluctant to greet a new day – but, it wasn't like he had a choice. There was too much on his mind; too much barring down on his shoulders for him to lay there – Rinoa's condition at the peak of it all. What exactly was wrong with her? Was she going to be okay? It was all he could think about. He had to know for sure; had to get some sort of clue as to everything that was going on. It was all he could do to hope to alleviate his concerns – and his mind.

"…Rinoa…" he mumbled.

* * *

The doors to the infirmary opened and Squall stepped through – immediately greeted by the sight of Doctor Kadowaki as she nodded, a light smile forming on her face.

"Squall," she said, in a soft tone.

Squall didn't reply as he slowly walked toward her, his head tipped downward. He was hesitant to ask out of fear of her response, but just the same…he couldn't stand not knowing. Out of everything that had come at him lately, this was by far the most stressful and troubling yet. He couldn't shake it from his mind, no matter what he'd try to do. Even the monsters in the Training Center couldn't even begin to relinquish the great burden this brought upon him. He was sick with worry; with fear – a kind like no other he'd ever felt before. Though the hope he held was faint…he still had to hold to it – hard as it was to believe.

"…Anything?" he mumbled.

Doctor Kadowaki looked at him in silence for a moment, hesitant to speak. Squall could see it in her eyes: she wanted to say yes; wanted to give him the comfort and certainty he needed – his words practically begging for reassurance. However…such a response would only be a lie – and she couldn't stand to get his hopes up. Even though the truth of the matter wouldn't help in the least…it was better than leading him to believe a false reality.

She sighed as she dropped her head a little, shaking it lightly.

"…I'm sorry," she said, in a quiet voice, "Her condition doesn't appear to be getting worse, but I still can't figure out what's wrong. I'm doing all I can."

She looked at Squall again as he stood there in silence, his head dropped once again and eyes closed. It was a disheartening sight for her. To see Squall, the strong, confident leader he was in such a vulnerable state – she couldn't help but feel regret towards her words.

"Don't worry," she said, trying to encourage him, "She'll be alright. I'll make sure of it."

Squall just closed his eyes at her words. He wanted to believe her. He had no reason not to. In all his years at Garden, he'd never known Doctor Kadowaki to steer him wrong. But, still…he couldn't shake his fears – no matter how hard he tried to. The cause of Rinoa's condition still unknown and no progress made in attempts to help her – how could he easily go against such thoughts? He hated to think the worst of the situation – but, what was there to convince him otherwise?

He sighed lightly at her words as his eyes directed towards the floor again.

"…Thanks." he mumbled.

Doctor Kadowaki smiled lightly at him.

Squall slowly turned his head in Rinoa's direction, stepping forward carefully as he slowly approached her bed – the doctor watching him with a look of apology, and sorrow, at his forlorn state before leaving the room.

"_Rinoa…"_ he thought, a solemn expression coming over his face once again as he stood beside her. She was still so dull and lifeless; her body, unnerved, as she lay in the same position she'd been in since he first brought her home. It was a terrible déjà vu for the SeeD as the sight brought back the painful memory of last year: when she had first fallen into the same state upon becoming a sorceress. The two situations bore horrifying similarities – and just the mere thought; the fear that this time could be worse, was enough to bring him even the slightest despair as he stared down at her in silence.

"…What happened to you?" he asked, slowly kneeling down beside her.

He slowly lifted his arm toward the bed as he carefully grabbed hold of hers. She didn't move; didn't respond in any way to his touch – a fact which only served to make the whole ordeal harder for him. As much as he cared about Rinoa, he couldn't bear this moment – hating it with everything in him. It was the one situation he could never bring himself to face.

"…I'm sorry," he mumbled, "I should have been more careful. I'm sorry I wasn't there in time."

He closed his eyes for a moment as he sighed - his regret and anger towards the whole event quickly overcoming him again as he thought to himself. No matter how much he'd try to wrap his mind around it; try to make sense of the complex puzzle before him, nothing would add up in the end - Rinoa's sudden inclusion in the issue only adding further to the mystery and confusion of it all. Why bring her into this? What exactly were they up to? It drove him crazy with frustration – and a bit of anguish, as he looked at Rinoa closely.

"You're going to be okay," he muttered, "…You have to be. Please. I can't take it. I can't stand to see you like this."

He dropped his head onto her bed in spite of himself. To see Rinoa as she was; feeling powerless - knowing there was nothing he could do to help her. It was horrible to physically relive such a painful episode in his life.

He clenched his teeth tightly as he held Rinoa's hand in his, shaking his head in anger and defiance as he directed his emotion towards another individual – his grief and despair turning into anger as that same face came to mind again.

"_DAMN YOU, LAGUNA!" _he shouted in his head.

He slammed his fist down beside Rinoa – the bed shaking a little from the impact as he sat there, trying to calm down. Anger boiled within him at the events, and those responsible for them, that had brought this moment upon him. He hated Laguna. Try as he had to ignore such thoughts and feelings, he could no longer deny them. He could have forgiven him for many things…but, this was the one exception. No matter what the man would try to say, nothing would change the fact that he'd done this to her. It was his fault – and rage, once again, threatened to surmount him as he dwelled on such thoughts.

"Damn it!" he grumbled.

"Squall…?" a voice asked.

Squall froze at the sound of the voice, immediately realizing he'd been caught in such a state. He was instantly embarrassed as he slowly lifted his head to see Quistis standing a few feet away. She had a long face – her eyes bearing the same expression of guilt and apology as the prior day. Her arms were folded lightly as she stared back at him in sorrow – the pity she bore for her comrade and superior more than evident. It was obvious to him that she still blamed herself for the incident.

Squall didn't say a word as he slowly stood up across from her, glancing back at Rinoa briefly before looking ahead at Quistis – the young headmaster just dropping her head as she closed her eyes for a moment, sighing to herself.

"Squall…I can't apologize enough."

She shook her head lightly as she spoke - her voice, shaking. She had tried to shake her guilt, but her efforts had amounted to nothing. No matter what she said or did, she couldn't help holding herself responsible for what happened to Rinoa.

Squall didn't respond as he glanced back at the unconscious sorceress.

"Don't," he said, in a low voice, as he looked back toward Quistis, "I already told you: I don't blame you. It's not like you had any way of knowing of what would happen."

He folded his arms as he closed his eyes – turning his head to the side.

"So, please…just stop," he said, "I can't stand for anymore of this. I've got enough going on right now."

Quistis tried to relax at his words as she took a deep breath, her lungs practically gasping for air as she tried to fight the swell of tears just the same.

Squall turned toward Quistis again - dropping his arms to his side as he sighed lightly to himself.

"...I'll see you later." he said, quietly.

Before leaving, he turned toward Rinoa again - taking a step toward the head of her bed as he leaned over and gently caressed her hair. It was so smooth; so beautiful in its raven color as he looked at her attentively – the thought of how she'd smile when he'd stroke it bringing the same reaction to him as a faint one formed on his face.

He proceeded to carefully draw his fingers down along her shoulder, but suddenly stopped when he noticed something.

"Wait a minute," he said, in a whispered voice, "What is…?"

He slowly leaned closer to Rinoa to get a better look and realized what it was - his eyes immediately going wide at the sight as he stared at it, completely speechless.

Quistis saw his face and looked at him in question, and worry, as she stepped forward.

"Squall? What is it? What's wrong?"

Squall didn't reply as he kept his eyes fixated on the strange mark. Seeing the expression on his face, and dumbfounded by his sudden state of shock, Quistis followed his line of vision toward the middle of Rinoa's shoulder. She leaned in next to him and, upon closer inspection, finally saw what had left him so lost for words. There – on the comatose sorceress' shoulder, was the faint remain of a small hole – the discovery quickly turning her previous sorrow into a great apprehension as her blood ran cold, and she glanced from the mark to Rinoa's face.

"Oh my…" she saw, in a panicked tone, "Doctor Kadowaki!"

Hearing the urgency in Quistis' voice, the doctor immediately hurried back into the room – the look of trepidation in the blonde's eyes a source of great worry for her.

"My goodness, Quistis, what is it?" she asked, her tone nothing short of alarmed as she looked at her in surprise.

"Look!" Quistis replied, motioning toward Rinoa's shoulder.

Doctor Kadowaki had a perplexed expression on her face as she strolled over to the duo, leaning in closely to see the source of her fuss. Upon noticing the strange mark on the resting girl's arm, she too, was overcome with question and confusion.

"What in the world?" she asked, taking hold of Rinoa's arm as she studied the marking, "Where did this come from?"

Squall and Quistis exchanged looks of surprise before looking back at the doctor, the amount of confusion she bore still evident on her face.

"You really didn't notice?" Quistis asked, seemingly surprised by the doctor's apparent lack of knowledge towards the odd bearing.

Doctor Kadowaki didn't reply for a moment as she continued to stare at the sight, her reaction to the discovery only serving to raise Quistis and Squall's concerns further – and her own puzzlement.

"I don't know how I could have missed it," she said, her eyes still locked on the spectacle, "I'm almost certain it wasn't here before."

"Do you know what it is?" Quistis asked, trying to wrap her mind around the cause of the bizarre discovery.

The doctor stood in silence for a moment, one arm folded across her torso while her chin rested on the other, thinking to herself. She didn't want to jump to conclusions, but at the same time…it was hard to deny her thoughts. Only so many things could possibly leave a mark like that, after all.

"Well, I can't be completely sure," she muttered, "But, I've only ever seen that kind of puncture as the result of a syringe."

Quistis' jaw dropped at this news as she stared at the doctor, wide-eyed once again.

"You mean, an injection?" she asked, a clear tone of shock in her voice.

"_Son of a bitch." _Squall thought, balling his fist at his side as he beamed with anger at the sudden revelation.

"But, of what?" Quistis asked, "What could it have possibly contained to make Rinoa pass out?"

Doctor Kadowaki contemplated the whole scenario as she looked at Rinoa once again, the young sorceress continuing to remain blissfully unaware as she lay in her comatose state.

"I'm not exactly sure, unfortunately," she explained, "I'd need more time to study it carefully before coming to any conclusions of the sort."

Quistis sighed as she folded her arms again. She stared at the ground as she shook her head lightly at everything that was happening – the chain of unusual occurrences quickly becoming too much for her. First, the speculation with Esthar and Galbadia - and now, Rinoa was mysteriously unconscious in the midst of it all - the result of an undetermined injection having been the source of her previously unexplained condition. The bizarre events were only piling on more and more. What was going on between the two biggest countries in the world? And, why put Rinoa in the middle of it? The puzzle was only getting more complex with each new event that unfolded - a great source of frustration and discomfort for the wise, young woman, try as she did to make sense of it all. Never in her life had she been so unable to piece everything together. It was troubling, to say the least, as she could only stand there in complete disarray.

Squall, meanwhile, fumed at the whole event – his blood boiling and teeth clenched as he stood there with utter animosity, and aggression, towards the president of Esthar. This was the last straw. He may have been upset about Rinoa before, but now – having finally learned the cause of her condition…he was beyond emotion; beyond resent and anger. This was a whole new level of rage. If Laguna thought his actions wouldn't come with a price, he was in for a rude awakening – and Squall would see to that. He could no longer restrain himself as he finally reached his peak.

"_I'm gonna kill him..." _he grumbled in his head, clenching his fist tighter.

Without hesitation, or a single word, Squall immediately stormed past Quistis and Doctor Kadowaki toward the door – the two women watching him in surprise, and confusion.

"Squall! Where are you-?" Quistis asked, but the doors closed behind him before she could finish.

Quistis looked at the doctor in perplexity – the elder woman simply looking back with the same expression on her face.

"What was that all about?" Quistis asked.

"I don't know," Doctor Kadowaki answered, "I don't think I've ever seen him so worked up before. I hope he won't get himself into any trouble."

Quistis glanced at the doors for a moment, trying to imagine what Squall could possibly be thinking. It was the one time she couldn't even begin to guess what was on the SeeD's mind – a fact which greatly concerned her as she felt a slight shiver down her spine from the unexpected scene. She had no idea where Squall was headed or why – but, something told her it wouldn't be pleasant.

She tried to shake her fears and dread as she looked at the doctor again.

"I just don't get it," Quistis mumbled, "Why would Laguna want to inject Rinoa? What benefit would it serve for them?"

The doctor was just as perplexed as she could only shrug in response, shaking her head lightly at the young headmaster's questions. The whole series of events was no better understood by the elder woman – Squall's sudden and unexplained behavior included.

"I don't know. This whole situation seriously disturbs me to the bone," she said, "Until we know what their intentions are, there is no way to be sure of anything at this time."

Quistis closed her eyes for a moment at those words before glancing back at Rinoa. The sight, once again, filling her with a deep dread as her eyes scrolled to the mark once more – the strange bearing staring back at her as her thoughts swirled in rapidly in her head. Galbadia and Esthar's secret intentions, their sudden debilitation of Rinoa – and, then there was Squall. What was he doing? What had caused him to act so brashly? The image of him storming out of the room with intensity like she'd never seen from him, troubled her to no end as it sat frozen on her mind – that overwhelming feeling of unease quickly sweeping over her again. She only hoped she could figure it all out soon…for everyone's sake.

* * *

While walking down the hallway from the infirmary, Squall bypassed Zell, Irvine, and Selphie – the trio immediately overcome with question, and a sense of fear, as his expression sent a chill down their spines. He looked so angry – his face in a stone cold stare - and his walk, intimidating and menacing as that of a T-Rexaur. He seemed unaware of their presence as he kept his eyes directed forward. They'd never seen Squall so seemingly fueled by anger, or any emotion, in their lives.

"So…how's Rinoa?" Zell asked, cautiously. He had been afraid to speak upon taking observation of Squall – but, at the same time, he couldn't deny his concern towards the situation. Rinoa was their friend, too, after all.

Squall ignored him, however: no sign of acknowledgement evident as he kept walking - his compulsion, whatever it may be, only serving to increase their worry and dread.

"Squall…?" Selphie said, a concerned and pleading tone in her voice.

The three friends exchanged looks of confusion as they tried to comprehend what might have happened.

"Yo! What the hell?" Zell asked, a bit angry by Squall's passive aggression, "He just ignored us? What's his deal?"

"Do you think something happened?" Selphie asked, her dread quickly rising to new heights as she thought of Rinoa. Her heart beat frantically for a moment as every possible scenario came to mind – and none of which she liked in the least.

Irvine glanced from his friends to the door to the infirmary, nodding his head lightly as he stepped forward.

"Come on." he said.

* * *

Upon entering the infirmary, the three SeeD's were greeted by the sight of Quistis and Doctor Kadowaki.

"Yo! Quistis!" Zell hollered, raising his hand into the air.

The young headmaster glanced toward the doorway to see her friends approaching – discomfort quickly overwhelming her as her stomach churned. Something told her that this meeting would be anything but enjoyable.

"What's up with Squall?" Zell asked, "Guy's got issues – or something."

"Yeah," Irvine replied, "We've never seen him so mad before. Is everything okay?"

Quistis closed her eyes at their words as she went silent for a moment – her strange reaction only adding to the heavy atmosphere already looming overhead as her friends looked at her intently.

"…Quistis?" Selphie asked, in a soft, compassionate tone, "What's wrong?"

Doctor Kadowaki glanced from the SeeD's to Quistis as the two looked at each other for a moment – the doctor only nodding lightly in compliance as Quistis knew what was on her mind.

She sighed as she stepped forward – her friends staring at her in wonder as they tried to make sense of everything. She hated to involve them - hesitant to speak as she choked on her words for a moment. It wasn't that they didn't deserve to know – she just didn't want to put others in the middle of it all when they were still so unclear about things. Squall had told her to keep everything between them and she had yet to get his consent otherwise – a fact which only made this moment harder for her. How could she tell them? Where would she even start if she did? However, given Rinoa's condition, Squall's sudden, odd behavior, and the pressure of the moment…she could no longer hold it in. It was time for the necessary precautions to be made.

"…Okay," she said, in a hushed tone, "I can't explain Squall – but, as for the rest…"

She was quiet again for a moment as she stared at the floor, still unwilling and unready to bring the same burden of grief and anxiety down on her friends. She knew the situation was escalating – and though she felt it important they know, she was still hesitant to act on it.

"Quisty, come on," Irvine said, "What is it? Just tell us."

Quistis shook her head lightly at the whole scene as she took a deep breath, lifting her head back toward her friends as the words finally came out.

"…There's something you should know."


	11. Lost in Translation

**Phenomenon**

**Lost in Translation**

"So, that's the story," Quistis said, "I didn't want to tell you, but…I really didn't have a choice anymore."

Zell, Selphie, and Irvine were completely stunned by the news as they stood in silence, looking at her with expressions of disbelief, confusion, and worry. The sudden revelation had caught them off-guard just as the young headmaster herself upon having first heard it. Their reaction to her story only made the whole situation worse for her - her regret at having chosen to tell them quickly overwhelming her as she closed her eyes. Nevertheless, it had been necessary. If things really were as bad as they had seemed from the beginning, the whole ordeal could no longer afford to be kept in the dark. It concerned all of Garden – and they'd need all the support they could get.

Zell shook off his shock as he looked at Quistis in a bit of panic.

"So, Galbadia and Esthar are allying against Balamb? What the hell?!"

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Selphie asked, a hint of anger in her voice.

Quistis sighed as she looked at them intently.

"It wasn't that easy," she said, "Squall had requested we keep it to ourselves for the time being. We didn't feel we had sufficient information to believe what we'd heard – and we didn't want to rile up all of Garden at risk of the news proving false."

Zell only got more upset by her words as he burst out again.

"Frickin' hell! That's no reason to keep it from us! If Garden is in danger, we have a right to know – especially if Galbadia is involved. If what you're saying is true, we've just lost a powerful ally – and, we don't even know why it happened!"

"I know…" Quistis said, softly, "And, I'm sorry. I just couldn't tell you – at least not right away. It would have been much worse if we had acted on the news immediately and then everything turned out to be a misunderstanding. You have to understand: we didn't keep it from you because we didn't feel you should know. We did it because we couldn't afford to be wrong. Acting too soon would have been reckless. Galbadia would have found out we knew and who knows what would have happened. We felt it was best to wait and see if any specific details would come up so we could confirm our suspicions. It was really all we could do."

She looked at the floor as she folded her arms, reflecting on the conversation with Xu in her office the other day – how sudden the news had hit her. It had been so surreal; so unbelievable. Even now, she still couldn't bring herself to really accept such a possible, and apparent, reality.

"Unfortunately…" she mumbled, "Things only became worse over time – and now…Rinoa's been pulled into the middle of it. We have no idea why though."

They all glanced at Rinoa.

"What's wrong with her exactly?" Irvine asked.

Quistis looked toward Rinoa at his words, her eyes staring at the sorceress's shoulder as she recalled the moment she'd seen the puncture wound - the impact of such a sight still just as powerful as she turned back to her friends.

"Quistis…?" Selphie asked, a concerned tone in her voice once again.

Quistis took a deep breath as she slowly brought out the words – hesitant to speak, yet again, as they were only certain to deliver another shock to her already greatly bewildered comrades. It was so much to hit them with at once, but at the same time…they deserved to know. Given the extremities of the matter at hand, nothing could afford to be left out.

"…Rinoa was injected." she said, quietly, her head dropping toward the floor.

The trio looked at her in question at such a response. What kind of answer was_ that_? What did it even mean? They glanced from Quistis to Rinoa, still resting tranquilly on the bed – their eyes locked on her intently for a moment before they quickly retracted their attention back to the blond.

"Injected?" Irvine asked, a clearly puzzled tone in his voice. Though he wasn't sure what she had meant with such a reply, he'd nevertheless, felt his stomach drop upon instantly having heard those words – his heart sinking rapidly at the mere thought of having dared to ask for more.

Quistis took a deep breath as she choked on her reply for a moment. She lifted her head towards her friends again – the words slow to emerge as she reiterated in better detail.

"It happened while Squall and Rinoa were in Esthar yesterday," she explained, "I don't know the full details, but somehow it ended with Rinoa being hit with a syringe."

The mouths of her friends dropped open at those words as they looked at her – their dumbfounded expressions, though very much understood by the young woman, only serving to make this moment more uncomfortable.

"H-How? Who?" Zell asked, stuttering, as he fidgeted from shock.

That…was the question Quistis hesitated to answer most of all. How could she say it? How could she tell them Laguna was behind it all? She didn't even want to believe it herself. Never in her life had she imagined Esthar – imagined Laguna, joining forces with a known enemy of Garden – especially given his relation to Squall. However, after what had happened to Rinoa…it scared her more than anything to realize just exactly how wrong she had been. She couldn't bear to see Laguna as an enemy - but, it also wasn't like he had left her with any other option. The only thing that bothered her more, however…was how easily Squall could.

She sighed to herself as she forced the words to the tip of her tongue – nearly shaking her head as she wanted so much for it to be a lie; to know, somehow, that they'd been mistaken. It was just too hard to accept that Laguna, of all people, could really be so callous; deceitful enough to easily play them into his hands as a friend – and then swiftly strike so harshly when least expected. Something about that didn't seem logical to her – but, at the same time…the last few days had proven that anything really was possible.

"…We believe it might have been Laguna." she mumbled, staring at the floor again, in shame at such a thought.

"Laguna?" Irvine asked, his voice bearing a hint of doubt.

"No way!" Selphie said, shaking her head in disbelief. The news hit her the hardest of all. Selphie had shown a very clear interest in Laguna and never once doubted his humanity or sincerity even before they'd finally met him. She had often viewed him as a source of inspiration – someone to admire and honor for his accomplishments and integrity. To hear this sudden accusation, it was as if her whole world had been shattered; every foundation of her beliefs about the kindhearted man immediately blown away in one fell swoop.

Quistis could only shake her head lightly in reluctance, and regret, as she slowly lifted her head toward them again.

"I don't want to believe it either," she said, in a low voice, "But, given the situation…it's doubtless he was at least a part of it."

She closed her eyes as she let out another sigh.

"…I'm sorry." she said, in a hushed tone.

Selphie and Irvine glanced at each other, trying to make sense of the whole scenario. Like Quistis previously, they, too, found it hard to believe Laguna could do such a thing – especially to Rinoa. He had always treated her kindly – almost as a daughter of sorts. Upon discovering his relation to Squall, it was as if that compassion had only doubled, at least. He'd always done his best to help keep her safe and constantly worried for her well-being. It was just too hard to accept it could really have all been a ruse.

"What did they inject her with?" Zell asked, trying to be calm about the situation.

Quistis shrugged lightly in response.

"We don't know. We only found out about it a few minutes ago."

"Well, is she going to be okay?" Selphie asked, in a worried tone.

Quistis nodded reassuringly at her friend, a faint smile forming in hopes of lightening the mood.

"She'll be fine," she answered, glancing back at Doctor Kadowaki, "She's being kept under close surveillance."

Selphie and Irvine breathed a faint sigh of relief at her words as they looked toward Rinoa again. Zell, however, was only getting more agitated at the whole predicament.

"So, Esthar has betrayed Balamb – siding with Galbadia, they've got Rinoa sedated with who-knows-what…and we're just supposed to sit back and let this continue?" he yelled, "Are you out of your frickin' mind? It seems now is the perfect time for action. I think the truth was clear the moment they got hold of Rinoa. It was an open invitation to retaliate!"

He glared at her angrily as he balled his fists – the intensity and rage in his eyes unexpected to Quistis, even from Zell. She had seen him upset before, but never in this way. This whole revelation of conspiracy and deception had set him off to a whole new level – and there was only one way he knew to ease the aggression that burned so fiercely inside of him.

Quistis closed her eyes as she shook her head lightly.

"We can't do that," she said, calmly, "We still don't have all the necessary information, and on top of that – it's up to Squall to make that decision."

She lowered her head a little as she thought about Squall – recalling, once again, the expression on his face: the anger and intensity that burned in his eyes; in his walk as he'd stormed out of the room fiercely. Where was he going? What had compelled him so strongly to behave in such a way? The anxiety she felt from such thoughts nearly made her sick – her heart sinking a little as she was overcome with a terrible sense of discomfort. She didn't know Squall to be careless – but, then again…she'd also never seen him so driven by emotion; by anger and aggression. She could only imagine what was going through his head – and nothing she came up with was the least bit pleasant.

She lifted her head once again and her eyes met Zell's – both locking on each other's intently as she spoke once more.

"…I know that you're upset. We all are. None of us expected Esthar to turn on us – especially so suddenly."

She looked away again for a moment as she thought to herself – a light sigh emerging from her mouth once again before quickly looking back at the others.

"But, we can't let emotion drive us in this matter. Reckless action will only give them a bigger advantage," she stated, "If this is really happening, we have to be prepared."

Zell was disgruntled by the mere thought of having to wait as Irvine looked at her in discontent – the same expression of disbelief still a bit evident on his face.

"So, what do we do?" Selphie asked, in a soft tone of reluctance.

Quistis relaxed a little as she lowered her arms to her side, glancing at each of her friends as she nodded lightly.

"We don't know what they're planning yet, but they targeted Rinoa for a reason," she said, "If we can find out why…maybe we can figure things out and counter their intentions."

They all turned their attention towards Rinoa once again - the raven-haired sorceress still and silent as ever as they stared at her in wonder, and worry. Quistis was filled with dread, and fear, once again as her mind was overwhelmed with the endless possibilities they faced. If Galbadia and Esthar's plans truly included Rinoa, the reality of the situation was proving to be far more complex, and frightening, than she could have ever imagined – and the fact that Laguna really had played a role in the ordeal only served to make things that much worse. The whole chain of events only drove her restless with anxiety as she reflected on it all, still none-the-wiser to the truth as one specific question sat at the front of her mind.

"_Laguna. Why are you doing this?"_

* * *

Laguna sat at his desk in the Presidential Palace, engaged in a serious phone conversation with an Esthar officer. A new problem had recently arisen in the technologically advanced city and he'd been trying to get to the bottom of it for the past twenty-four hours. Unfortunately, the seemingly endless search was proving to be futile – not even the slightest information pertaining to the issue at hand could be acquired. Needless to say, he was growing tired…and worried.

"Just keep searching," he said, sighing lightly, "He didn't just disappear."

He went quiet again as the officer spoke once more – Laguna's face dropping further at his words as he closed his eyes, only getting more restless towards the whole endeavor as he was quick to argue back.

"Look!" he said, loudly, in an irate tone, "I don't know if you understand exactly how serious this matter is! It doesn't take much to make him talk – and we cannot afford to let any information he holds get into the wrong hands."

He took a deep breath to try and relax – the moment not lasting, however, as he quickly found himself shaking his head in frustration at yet another rebuttal. He didn't want to be mad, but he found it hard to resist in this case. Though their efforts so far had gone unrewarded, past experience had taught him that things were never what they seemed. He may have his moments, but he certainly wasn't as incompetent as popular opinion made him out to be – and he couldn't believe that Esthar officials, highly trained as they were, could possibly be either. No matter how bleak the situation seemed, he wasn't willing to give up until he was certain there was nothing they could do.

He let out an exasperated sigh as he finally cut the officer off mid-sentence.

"I know you're trying, but it's just not enough. You're gonna have to try harder, alright! He's out there somewhere. I don't care what it takes - just find him!"

Without another word, he put the phone down on the receiver – dropping his head onto his palms as he stared down at his desk, sighing heavily.

"Still no trace?" Kiros asked.

Laguna kept his head down, shaking it in grief as he grumbled.

"Man. I don't know how this day could get any worse."

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?" an enraged voice shouted from across the room.

Laguna's head shot up as they all three looked toward the door to see Squall storming toward him. The expression on his face was the sternest they'd ever seen it before - his eyes raging with such ferocity; such spite – a sight that quickly sent a chill down the spine of the usually cheerful man. He was completely livid as he stared Laguna down intently.

"Squall?" Laguna asked, a bit flustered, and surprised, by the sight.

The teen didn't respond as he approached the desk in fury, slamming his hands down on it hard as he glared at Laguna fiercely.

"You injected Rinoa?!" he shouted.

"What?" Laguna replied, quickly, "When? What are you talking about?"

Squall just shook his head violently, even more angered now as he looked at Laguna in utter defiance.

"Yesterday – Odine's lab," he said, in a cross tone, "Cut the act already! I know you had something to do with it."

Laguna was only getting more confused, and shocked, as he looked at the SeeD in question.

"Squall, are you serious?" he asked, "You actually think I would do anything to hurt Rinoa? That's ridiculous!"

Squall stood staring back at the man whom dared to call himself his "father" in absolute disdain, nothing but utter hatred flaring in his eyes as he refused to fall for another trick - fighting the undying urge to strike him hard as he spoke again.

"We trusted you...and this is how you respond?" he grated, "Turning against us and siding with Galbadia – dragging Rinoa into the middle of it?!"

Laguna stared at him in shock by his words, completely speechless from the wild accusations made against him as he glanced toward Kiros and Ward – both men merely reflecting his state of mind as they, too, looked at Squall, dumbfounded.

"Whoa, wait a minute!" Laguna said, "Now, I _really_ have no idea what you're talking about! Esthar hasn't sided with Galbadia. What in the world gave you that idea?"

"Don't try to deny it!" he said, seeming even more irate now by Laguna's apparent games, "We received the report of your alliance the other day. After everything that's happened, what else am I _supposed_ to believe?"

Laguna looked at Squall in complete disarray as the SeeD kept his eyes locked on him, staring him down intently - his expression bearing an unyielding aggression and resent as he breathed heavily from yelling. Laguna just shook his head lightly from the whole scenario as he looked back at Squall calmly, hoping his light approach would help to appease the enraged teenager.

"Look. Squall...," he said, "Just calm down and talk to me. What's going on?"

Squall balled his fist at his side as he shook with anger and grief, his teeth clenching tightly as he thought about Rinoa for a moment.

"…It's your fault what happened to her," he grumbled, "You tricked us! You and that weasel of a doctor!"

Laguna's eyes went wide at Squall's mention of Doctor Odine as he glanced toward Kiros and Ward again, both men nodding in unison as they immediately put everything together.

"Of course," Kiros said, holding his hand to his chin as he thought on the SeeD's words, "It all makes sense now."

Laguna nodded in agreement, quickly turned back to Squall - a look of alarm coming over his face as he began to explain.

"Squall, listen to me," he said, "I can understand why you're upset, but you've gotta' believe me. I had nothing to do with what happened to Rinoa."

Squall was only getting more irritated as he was quick to argue back once again.

"Rinoa was injected while you were talking to me in the chamber. That's why she was lying on the floor when I found her. You can't tell me that wasn't intentional, wasn't a way to keep me from getting to her."

Laguna nodded his head lightly, again, in response at Squall's words - realizing what he was getting at. The supposed evidence the SeeD was stating did look rather incriminating…but, given the prior issue before this confrontation – it also left a gap for the elder man to clear his name, and hopefully bring the teen to his senses again.

"Okay, I know that looks bad. You're right. It was too much of a coincidence," he said, "But, there is a simple explanation for everything. Trust me."

Squall glared at him with a heated intensity at those last words – such only serving to fuel his rage, and resent, even further.

"Why should I?" he grumbled, "It didn't do any good for us before."

Laguna took a deep breath as he shook his head from the whole ordeal, looking back at Squall closely as he said his next words.

"Squall, you've got it all wrong," he said, in a hushed tone, "I don't know who gave you such ridiculous information, but you've been completely misled. Let me clear this up for you. I promise, it will all make sense when you hear."

He sighed as he glanced down at his desk for a moment, lifting his head slowly back toward Squall as he spoke one last time.

"….Please, just listen to me."


	12. Loyalty Defined

**Phenomenon**

**Loyalty Defined**

Despite his anger, Squall still decided listened to Laguna's story – the long sought out truth finally coming to light as the president explained the events to date in full detail.

"So, as I was saying: you've got it all wrong," Laguna stressed, "Who gave you this information anyway?"

Squall didn't respond for a moment as he thought to himself - the conversation between him, Xu, and Quistis in the latter's office the other day immediately coming to mind. He could have said it. He could have brought up the name right then and there – the name of whom began this whole thing, even despite his first attempts to deny it. However, he held back. He wasn't a snitch – and besides, it wasn't like it was Xu's fault anyway. Just as they'd suspected, it had been mere speculation all along – or, so far it seemed. If anything, it was the fault of her informant. There was no need to bring someone else into the middle of things. He was trying to clear this mess – not complicate it further.

Laguna looked at Squall with a puzzled expression as he studied the SeeD's face.

"Squall…?" he asked.

Squall exhaled quietly as he turned his head toward Laguna again.

"…That's irrelevant," he replied, "Can we get to the point?"

Laguna looked at him in a bit of surprise by his sudden indifference towards the question, and his apparent haste, as he thought on his next words.

"Okay…" he said, "Well, it's like I told you before: I have no idea what you were talking about earlier. We haven't associated with Galbadia ever. I can't believe you ever thought that."

Squall stared back at Laguna intently – one specific detail coming to mind as he stood in silence with a straight face, still not completely convinced.

"What about yesterday?" he asked, a bit crossly, "How do you explain that?"

"You mean Rinoa?" Laguna asked.

Squall closed his eyes in annoyance by the president's absent-mindedness – already growing impatient, and frustrated, in the outspoken man's presence once again.

"_Who else would I be talking about?" _he thought, "Just answer the question."

Laguna sighed as he pat the back of his head lightly in discomfort from the tension of the awkward moment. Despite Squall's somewhat lighter approach, and attempts to have a more coherent conversation, it was clear he still harbored some anger towards him. It didn't make things any easier to clean up the excessive mess they faced, but he certainly wasn't willing to allow a once good relationship to end so abruptly – especially under such false pretenses.

"The story speaks for itself really," he stated, "Odine wanted to test the full extent of his new device, so I offered. Unfortunately, I wasn't as helpful as we'd hoped – and he was upset that his research was getting nowhere. So, needless to say, when I mentioned you…he jumped at the opportunity right away. It was kind of odd how quick he was to accept really, but at the same time…I didn't think too much of it given the situation. He is always eager to put his experiments to the test, after all."

Squall closed his eyes as he turned his head away for a moment, thinking on Laguna's words as he recalled how overjoyed Odine had been at his arrival. His actions; his words, though odd and not making sense at the time – now, were perfectly clear.

"_So, that's what he meant."_ he thought to himself.

"…You listening?" Laguna asked, looking at him in question.

Squall turned his head back toward the president, another detail quickly coming to mind as he looked at Laguna with a straight face - his expression evident of the reservations he still held towards the matter.

"Your request," he said, with a cold tone, "We heard nothing from you for two days and all of sudden you contact us out of nowhere. On top of that, you didn't even explain your reasons: you were vague."

He folded his arms as he thought back to his conversation with Quistis when she'd informed him of Laguna's request for him to, not only go come to Esthar amidst all the speculation – but, alone at that. The mere memory of the odd event filled him with the same sense of discomfort, and unease – his newfound distrust in Laguna still unable to be so easily allayed from such an account, as it was the very cause for what had happened to Rinoa – and brought him back to this spot; to this moment. After all that had gone on, it would take a very profound explanation for him to even consider yielding any semblance of respect towards him again.

"If there was nothing going on; if it was really just for research, then why all the secrecy?" he said, in a low voice, "Why did you feel you had to hide your intentions from us?"

Laguna shook his head lightly as he sighed, visibly affected by the SeeD's aloof attitude and unwillingness to believe him.

"Squall, you totally misread everything."

Squall looked toward Laguna again with an expression of intrigue – his face bearing much anticipation for a logical response as he waited to hear what was next.

Laguna took a deep breath as he looked at Squall again.

"It was a simple request. I knew you wouldn't come if you learned the true nature of the call, so I didn't give the full details," he explained, "I'm sorry you thought I tricked you. That wasn't my intention."

Squall looked at Laguna, locking eyes with him as he stared the man down intently. It was a look that almost elicited the same response as his rage from before – the elder man nearly shivering at the teen's expression as Squall spoke again.

"…And Rinoa?" he asked, a hint of anger in his voice, once again, at the memory of her condition.

"I didn't even know Rinoa would be there," Laguna admitted, "I actually found it kind of odd that she was. Did you think I was lying when I was surprised to see her?"

Squall turned away again, briefly, at Laguna's words as he thought to himself on that matter – anger, and regret, pulling at him once again when he recalled how adamant Rinoa had been towards tagging along – her actions, and his lack of such, inadvertently setting into motion the result that brought him here now.

"…_She wasn't supposed to be there…"_

He was quiet again for a moment as Rinoa stuck in his head – the picture of her still lying motionless in the infirmary once again plaguing his mind as he quickly tried to shake it. This wasn't the time for such thoughts and emotion. He had come here to get to the bottom of things; to find out the truth behind what happened to her and why – and maybe even instigate proper payback if the situation called for it. Either way, he wasn't leaving until then.

Squall turned his head back toward Laguna slowly once more as the big question finally came up. Laguna took immediate notice of his expression – a bit of confusion, and unease, overcoming him as he stared back at Squall in question and anticipation – only able to wonder what was on the mind of the enigmatic teenager.

"…In the chamber later, after my battle…" he mumbled, "The timing of it all seemed way too efficient to be mere coincidence."

He paused for a moment, eyes locking with Laguna as they stared at each other intently.

"If you really found Odine's sudden interest at the mention of my name to be so odd, then why would you risk it?" he asked, a hint of assumption in his voice, "Why would you leave Rinoa alone with him; make it a priority to meet up with me instead of just waiting? The situation was convenient after all given the circumstances."

Laguna recoiled a bit at Squall's words as he thought back to that moment. He had a point. Despite his momentary suspicion of the doctor prior to the SeeD's arrival, he had still gone through with it: sending the request for him to come to Esthar. Yet, upon seeing Rinoa had come along, unexpectedly, he had still made the choice to leave her alone with the doctor in the end – an especially suspicious, and careless action, given that Rinoa was a sorceress…and doctor Odine had always shown an oddly, keen interest in such. The evidence against the kindly man was rather incriminating. When he really thought about it, he couldn't blame Squall for his suspicions. It _had_ all fallen together a little too well. For that brief moment…he was embarrassed, and ashamed, by his actions.

He looked back at Squall - the intensely, cold look in the SeeD's eyes as he stared back at the man before him. The anticipation; the pain and anger at such a possible betrayal, showing clearly on his face as he waited for something; anything – any logical explanation to emerge from the president's mouth. It was too hard for the teen to believe he really could have possibly been so sinister and deceitful. Deep down, he wanted to believe him…but, his next words would determine whether or not he could find it in him to.

Laguna dropped his head, sighing to himself as he stared at the floor before speaking again – thinking on his words carefully.

"…That was just bad luck; bad timing, on my part," he said, "I had no idea what Odine was up to. Why do you think I was so concerned when I found her in the lab? If I'd known beforehand, I wouldn't have even asked you to come."

He sighed as he looked at Squall closely - the teen's expression unchanged as his eyes still bore that evident look of grief. It only made Laguna feel worse about the whole event, despite his reluctant and unwitting assistance in Odine's clever ploy.

"I would never hurt Rinoa, Squall – especially intentionally," Laguna stressed, "I'm sorry it happened, but you have to believe me. I would never even think of betraying you."

Squall continued to stare back at Laguna keenly as he thought on the conversation so far, and the prior day's events – Laguna's role in the whole situation playing out again in his mind. His words, then and now; his actions during that time – they had all seemed so genuine, especially towards Rinoa. When he really thought about it, he didn't know how he could have mistaken such a thing. He may still not know Laguna very well, but he did know him well enough to know he'd never lie – especially about something like this.

At this realization, Squall finally managed to quell his anger towards Laguna completely - finally calming down as he exhaled lightly before beginning a much desired coherent approach to their conversation.

"…Fine," he said, quietly, "If this is all true, then what was with this hype about you and Galbadia?"

"I don't know," Laguna answered, honestly, "You bringing it up was the first time I'd heard about it. I _do_ know, however, that the news is bogus. There is no alliance whatsoever. We would never do that to Balamb."

Squall sighed heavily in reaction to the whole mess - the knowledge of exactly how massive a misunderstanding it had all amounted to, quickly overwhelming him as he dropped his head in frustration. Just one simple report intended for warning, had ignited a chain reaction formed from conspiracy and speculation. They had been so driven by worry and fear that they'd let it control their every thought and action – causing him to become so distrustful towards a man known for his integrity and good intentions. How could they have ever let things get this far? He was completely mortified by the whole ordeal as he pondered it all in his head.

"So, how did this whole mess get started?" he asked, holding his forehead to his hand in distress as he shook his head lightly.

Laguna glanced from Squall to Kiros and Ward, both men nodding in unison as the president turned back to his son.

"That's what we wanted to talk to you about earlier," he said, "We think we know what happened."

His sudden words immediately piqued Squall's interest as he looked at Laguna in question.

"Hm?"

"First," Laguna said, holding his hand to his chin, "What exactly were you told when you were informed of our so-called "alliance"?"

Squall sighed lightly as he reminisced again, briefly - his conversation in Quistis' office coming to mind once more as he recalled Xu's report word for word. Upon this final recollection of the event, he immediately saw where this was going - his mistake making itself apparent to the SeeD before the thought even completed.

"…We were just told Galbadia had gotten in touch with you," he mumbled, looking toward the floor.

Laguna looked at Squall in question, and a bit of shock, by his response.

"So, you got that huge assumption from a report like _that_?" Laguna asked, a bit skeptical, and dumbfounded, by such news.

"_It was an honest mistake," _Squall thought, _"What did you expect? There was no indication to prove it right or wrong. It took us by surprise. We risked losing a good ally. It wasn't exactly the easiest thought to accept."_

Laguna noticed Squall's expression - the solemn look on his face indicating he was lost in deep thought on that matter, a bit embarrassed by the elder man's words. Upon seeing such, Laguna quickly changed the subject – getting back on track with his original train of thought.

"Well, either way…it clears up all our prior troubles." he stated.

Squall looked at him in question and confusion upon hearing such words.

"It does…?" he asked.

Laguna smiled lightly at the realization of the complicated mess finally being cleared as he put it all together in an instant.

"You weren't given the wrong information, Squall," Laguna stated, "You just misinterpreted it. An alliance was formed with Galbadia…just not by Esthar."

Squall looked at him with in perplexity as he shook his head in frustration. He had come here to get things cleared up and Laguna was really going to play games now when they had been so close to doing so? After all that had gone on lately, patience had run rather thin with him.

"What are you saying exactly?" he asked.

Laguna looked at Squall with a straight face as he recalled the conversation from earlier, taking a quick breath as he revealed the events in the moment before the SeeD's abrupt arrival.

"Before you got here, I was on the phone with an Esthar official," he explained, "Shortly after you left yesterday, Doctor Odine went missing. At first, we thought he had been kidnapped or something – reasons pertaining to his research, maybe. But, after this conversation…that doesn't appear to be the case at all. Given what information we've gathered now, I think it's pretty obvious what's going on."

Squall thought to himself for a moment as he looked at Laguna intently, the SeeD's face still bearing a hint of bafflement as he stared back at the president in silence. A look of anticipation swept over Laguna's face, nodding his head lightly at Squall as the SeeD now realized what he was getting at. His eyes went wide at the sudden realization - his mind quickly reminiscing once again as he went over the events of the last few days in his head for a moment. Everything really did make sense the more he thought about it, and he wondered how he – how any of them…could have possibly ever missed it in the first place.

"…Of course," he muttered, _"How could any of us have been so foolish?"_

He shook his head in grief and anger as a specific face came to mind. He had known Odine to be sly – but, this particular instance was more than just the eccentric doctor's cunning tactics. The mere thought of how easily he'd allowed himself, and Rinoa, to be used drove him mad with anger towards the malevolent man – such emotion only bolstered when he thought of how heartless he'd been towards the sorceress, the moment he'd found her lying on the floor the day before immediately coming to mind. How proudly Odine had been, standing over her after he had so craftily planned the event out – dragging them into place like pawns so Rinoa, unsuspecting as she was, could be left at his whim. It was another revelation that made his blood boil once again as he balled his fist at his side.

He lifted his head back toward Laguna, doing his best to hide his burning emotion as he looked at the president intently.

"Why would he do that?" he asked, his anger hinted in his tone of voice, "What use would Rinoa be to him?"

Laguna just shook his head lightly and shrugged, trying to come up with a legitimate answer for the SeeD as every possible idea flooded into his mind.

"I don't know. Could be a lot of things really," he said, "However…Rinoa is a powerful sorceress – if not, the most powerful, and Odine is most known for his studies on sorceress power. I'm willing to bet that, if anything…that has something to do with why he went after her."

Squall gasped lightly at Laguna's words as he thought on them for a moment. It made sense really. It had only been a year since Rinoa had become a sorceress – yet, in very short time of it happening, she had managed to acquire the powers of three others – putting her at a level none before her had ever attained. Though she still wasn't the most proficient with her powers, the potential she wielded was more than obvious – and Odine certainly wouldn't hesitate if given the chance to take advantage of this fact. The innumerable possibilities this provided filled him with dread and worry towards Rinoa – while anger and aggression, once directed at Laguna…now, flared fiercely at the cunning doctor – the mere thought of him getting away with such a thing so easily only serving to fuel his undying resent. Whatever it took, he'd make the conniving man pay for what he'd done. He'd make sure of it.

"So, what do we do?" he asked, a bit irate.

"…I don't know exactly," Laguna answered, "We'd need to find out what was in the injection before we can take any sort of action to help her."

He looked at Squall intently for a moment when idea finally came to mind – a smile quickly forming on his face as he nodded at the thought.

"Don't worry. For now, you just return to Balamb," he explained, "We'll get to work trying to uncover Odine's intentions."

Squall looked back at him in silence for a moment before finally nodding in compliance, the idea of getting back to Rinoa proving no hesitation for the young SeeD.

"Alright," he said, quietly, "Just hurry. Please."

Laguna, Kiros, and Ward just nodded in unison as Squall quickly turned around and headed toward the office door before hearing Laguna holler to him suddenly.

"Squall!"

The SeeD quickly stopped in his tracks, a bit reluctant to stall as he slowly looked toward the president from the corner of his eye.

Laguna was quiet for a moment as he took a breath, smiling lightly to himself as he spoke one last time.

"Remember…you're not in this alone," he said, "If you ever need us…we've got your back."

Squall turned his head around to look at Laguna for a moment, the expression on his face; the look in his eyes bearing nothing but utmost honesty and compassion as he stood there silently, staring back at the SeeD with a smile as he nodded one more time.

Squall returned the gesture before slowly turning back toward the doorway, a faint smile forming on his face before he dashed off once again - wasting no time as he made route back toward Garden. No matter what it took, he would save Rinoa from her predicament and find a way to stop whatever Odine was planning. Now, knowing they still had the full-support and alliance of Esthar…he was more than ready for anything that may lay ahead – yet, remaining blissfully unaware of exactly how dark Galbadia and Odine's intentions really were.


	13. Eye of the Storm

**Phenomenon**

**Eye of the Storm**

Squall returned to Garden a bit later - reflecting on his conversation with Laguna as he slowly made his way through the front gate. Though it all may have been a misunderstanding, he still couldn't help but feel a bit stupid. Despite his initial beliefs, he'd still gone against his instincts and acted on fear and doubt: fooling himself into believing what he knew to be wrong as he, and everyone else, were pulled in by the tides of speculation and made Laguna an enemy – a fact which filled him with guilt and regret as the mere thought pulled at him. In the end, it was a great relief to discover how easily Laguna could put such a thing behind him - and know he, and Esthar, were still on common ground. Although he may not admit it…his respect for the man had now reached a new level.

However, though he may have quelled his emotion towards the kindly president…his anger towards Odine still burned fiercely. Each time he thought about what the cunning weasel had done to Rinoa, his resent; his hostility was only fueled further. No matter what it took, when the time came…he'd make the man pay for his actions. It was a promise – and he had no intentions of forgetting it. For now, however, he only had one concern: that same face of innocence coming to mind once again as the SeeD smiled lightly at the thought upon entering the lobby.

No sooner had he set foot inside, however, he heard someone shout to him from the end of the walkway.

"Yo! Squall!"

Squall looked ahead in question to see Zell coming towards him - the expression on his face, demanding – yet, his eyes bearing a hint of shock; disappointment even. He could only wonder what was on the hot-headed teen's mind as he approached boldly.

"Zell…?" he asked, tipping his head lightly.

"Yo! What the hell, man?" Zell replied, a bit angrily, "When did you plan on telling us about Esthar?"

Squall looked at him in surprise by his words, immediately caught off-guard by the moment as he went quiet. It was more than obvious to him what had happened…but, it didn't make this any more comfortable - or easier to deal with. For a moment, he felt a sense of anger towards the situation. He'd made it clear to Quistis why he didn't want anyone else to know of such matters - and he had hoped she, of all people, would have thought to respect that. Why couldn't anything just go how he wanted just once lately?

He closed his eyes as he exhaled in exasperation.

"_Dammit…" _he grumbled, in his head.

However, despite his thoughts and feelings on the matter, he couldn't entirely blame Quistis for saying anything. He knew her well enough by now to know that she wouldn't go spouting such news unless she truly believed it was the right choice. Like him, she had a good sense of judgment – able to analyze a situation and use the acquired knowledge to determine the best course of action. If she had gone against his wishes and saw fit to spread word…it must have been for the best. How could he really be upset with her for that? Besides, in all honesty, even if she hadn't said anything - he was going to tell them shortly anyway. She had saved him the hassle – and discomfort. He couldn't help but be grateful for that.

He looked at Zell again – the expression on the SeeD's face revealing he had no intentions of leaving without an answer, much to Squall's reluctance. At this notice, he relaxed a little – quelling his brief anger as he sighed lightly.

"…Sorry." he mumbled.

Zell shook his head in defiance, and apparent shock, at such an answer as he was quick to reply.

"_Sorry_?" he asked, loudly, "We weren't allowed to know for two days and all you have to say about it is "sorry"? Frickin' hell!"

Squall turned his head away as he folded his arms.

"You know now, don't you?" he replied, calmly, a hint of aggravation in his voice from the blonde's pestering.

"No thanks to you!" Zell argued.

Despite his attempts, Squall was quickly becoming irate towards the blond – and the whole scene, in general. He had come back with only one intention on his mind - and this certainly wasn't it. Now, having been thrust into this position twice before already…it was really beginning to get annoying.

He looked at Zell again, managing to contain his rising frustrations as he, instead, finally conformed to the SeeD.

"…You're right." he said, in a relaxed manner.

Zell immediately went quiet at those words as he looked at Squall, seemingly stunned by his reaction. He didn't know what to say in response to such a remark as he stared at his superior in silence - completely lost for words. It was an awkward moment for sure. Though Squall was known to keep cool in nearly every situation, he had still expected some sort of backlash – even slightly. Yet, here the young Commander stood – quiet and stoic as ever even when confronted by a matter that had clearly caught him by surprise initially. He suddenly found himself a bit embarrassed as he touched the back of his head, directing it towards the floor.

"Uh…I, err…" he stuttered.

They both stood in awkward silence for a moment, trying to think of what to say to mitigate the brief sense of tension that was quickly forming between them. It was discomforting; unsettling even how quickly this encounter had turned around. Within moments of it happening, Zell had already regretted ever bringing it up – unable to really imagine what had possibly come over him anyway. He knew better than to confront Squall in such a way, especially over a matter like this. It was the only time he had ever found himself questioning his own antics – much to his surprise, and dismay.

Squall sighed lightly as he looked at Zell again - his face still yielding a composed expression as he stood, relaxed, before the hyper sensitive SeeD.

"Look," he said, in a quiet voice, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. There was a lot going on and I just didn't feel you guys should have to deal with it as well. Why have _you_ stress over something like that? It wouldn't have been fair."

He folded his arms as he looked away again – reflecting, once again, on all the events that had occurred lately. It was still a bit overwhelming when he recalled it all, but truthfully…it was a relief to have some of the issues resolved - and to know that he didn't have to cope with the rest alone anymore. That thought, made this moment a bit more bearable.

"It was my problem to deal with," he continued, "I was going to tell you guys when the time was right – but, obviously…you found out before I could. I just wanted to be sure of what we'd heard before taking any sort of action. Bearing the weight of such news alone, I could stand. But…"

He paused for a moment as he thought on his next words – Zell looking at him in question, and anticipation, as he waited for Squall to speak again.

Squall sighed lightly again, although a bit more heavily than before, as he continued his explanation.

"…I couldn't stand to live with guilt; seeing you all walking around in fear and worry – knowing I was the one responsible for bringing that weight down on you. I didn't tell you because I just couldn't take it. I couldn't take the thought."

He looked at Zell once again, both locking eyes intently as he spoke one last time.

"That's why I didn't say anything – and why I asked Quistis not to either. It was done out of concern – not prejudice. I hope you can understand."

Zell was silent for a moment as he'd listened intently – only able to stare at Squall in question, and concern, to the astonishingly honest words that emerged from the mouth of the young Commander. They were so deep; so profound of an explanation that he didn't quite know what to think about it. He knew Squall was a deep thinker, but this moment had allowed him to realize exactly how much of one – and he only felt more ashamed for having ever started this conversation in the first place.

He lowered his head again, sighing ashamedly as he nodded lightly in acceptance.

"…Yeah, of course." he said, quietly.

He lifted his head slowly to look back at Squall, the quiet and composed Commander standing before him with his arms folded and head turned away once again. He appeared to be lost in thought – seeming acutely uncomfortable from the situation as he stood there in silence. Although, given the moment…it wasn't like Zell couldn't understand why. He tried to think of something to say – anything to ease the awkward lull between them, when he finally recalled a thought he'd had earlier.

He nodded lightly at the idea, hoping that a change of subject would break the tension as he brought out the words.

"So…where've you been anyway?"

Squall didn't reply for a moment as he thought on Zell's question. What did he say exactly? Given the conversation they'd just had, the truth surely wouldn't make the moment any better. It was obvious what the SeeD's intentions were with the sudden change of interest…but, it was still just another question he'd rather not have to answer. Though he wanted to tell Zell the truth; admit to his conversation with Laguna, and that they had been wrong about Esthar – it just didn't seem worth it right now. For the time being…he'd already found out enough – even if what he knew was a lie. Squall decided he would share the information when he could tell them all at once.

"Squall…?" Zell asked, tipping his head in question as he looked at his superior.

Squall just shook his head faintly in response – sighing lightly, once again, as he looked back at Zell.

"I was just…out," he said, in a low voice, "I needed some time alone. This whole thing with Rinoa and all."

He immediately went quiet again at his own words as he thought of Rinoa once more – lying on the bed in the infirmary, still as ever. How was she now? Was she doing any better at all? He wanted to get back to her more than anything and make sure she was okay – not just at Laguna's behest…but, for his own peace of mind as well. This unexpected, and undesired, delay was the only thing standing in the way of such, much to his chagrin – and he just wanted to quickly get out of this unpleasant position he'd been backed into.

He took a quick breath before looking at Zell once more, thinking on his words carefully as he slowly brought them out.

"I'm just going to go check on her," he said, in a hushed tone, "I'll see you later."

"Alright, man." Zell replied, nodding.

Squall stepped past him, but quickly stopped in his tracks as a thought came to mind. He turned back toward Zell with a straight face as he spoke one last time.

"And, Zell…?"

The spiky-haired blond quickly turned around upon hearing his name as he looked at Squall in question.

Squall stared back at him intently for a moment, a bit of a cold stare in his eyes this time as his face appeared rather stern. It was so sudden - a look that made Zell rather uncomfortable as he stared back at the young Commander a bit nervously. It was always somewhat intimidating when Squall gave anyone such a look – and sometimes, the question couldn't help but be pondered: was he actually aware of exactly how chilling it was?

Zell tried to ease his nerves as he looked back at Squall, waiting for what he'd say – though not exactly sure he wanted to know. With a face like that…who really knew what Squall was thinking, after all.

"Keep this conversation to yourself, alright?" Squall said, a tone of order in his voice.

Zell nodded in understanding, immediately pounding his chest once as he was quick to reply.

"No worries! I ain't no blabber-mouth!"

Squall looked away at his words, scoffing lightly to himself as a specific instance that would stand to defy such a claim immediately came to mind.

"_Whatever."_ he thought to himself.

With his back still turned, he raised his hand lightly to signify a wave to the blond – proceeding to walk off without another word as he made his way towards the infirmary to see Rinoa.

* * *

The metal doors opened and Squall stepped through into the infirmary. Much to his surprise, he actually found himself hesitant to check on Rinoa all of a sudden. Just the mere idea of her still lying there when he looked in, made him choke up as he stopped in his tracks for a moment. It had already been nearly two days since she was brought in – and she hadn't moved once during the times he'd come to visit her so far. That same feeling of powerlessness and grief overcame him briefly, as he stood there – uncertain of whether or not he could take those last few steps. He just wasn't sure he could bear to see her in such a position anymore. It had been hard enough the first few times, after all.

However, just when he thought he'd muster up the needed courage to step forward again, he heard a familiar voice ahead of him and quickly lifted his head in question – the sight before him immediately confirming his thoughts as he stared ahead in shock – and a bit of disbelief.

Rinoa stood a few feet away with her back turned to Squall, seemingly lost in a conversation with Doctor Kadowaki as he heard a laugh emerge from the former's mouth. He continued to stare in silence – unsure of what to make of the scene before him as he kept his eyes fixated keenly on the young sorceress.

Doctor Kadowaki finally noticed the SeeD and glanced at Rinoa, making a notion with her head in his direction. The raven-haired, young woman took note of the doctor's actions, immediately cutting herself off mid-sentence as she slowly turned around – the sight of Squall instantly delighting her as she smiled at him happily.

"Squall." she said, quickly hurrying towards him.

"_W-what…?"_ he thought, as he watched her come toward him, still astonished at the sight of her.

Rinoa immediately wrapped her arms around Squall, holding herself close to the SeeD as she smiled at the feel of him. Squall didn't know what to think of the situation. He wanted to be happy. This was the moment he'd been hoping to see since she had first fallen unconscious: Rinoa, alive and well, happily holding onto him again. On the other hand, however - the suddenness; the unexpectedness completely got to him – baffling his mind as he tried to wrap his thoughts around one question: how? Before he left, she had still shown no sign of recovery – lying quiet and motionless on the bed, as he had only been able to wish, desperately, for some way to help her. Now, here she stood before him – talking; moving – her body brushed against his as she clung to him pleasurably. It left him completely lost for words as he stood silently, taking in the moment in a mixed blend of joy and confusion.

"_Rinoa. When? How?"_ he asked himself, staring down at her as he remained in wonderment.

For a brief instance, he also felt a sense of regret. He'd had every intention of being there when she finally awoke; of being the first face she saw – her certain smile upon such quickly relieving the heartache he'd endured until then. Yet, due to his prior actions driven by anger, and revenge, he'd ended up preventing himself from experiencing that very moment. It was a rather discomforting, and frustrating, irony.

However, just mere seconds later, he recovered – quickly shaking off his shock, and guilt, as he realized what he was doing. This was what he'd wanted for the past two days and it was finally happening. How stupid was he to take it as if some sort of illusion or impracticality? This moment was real. Rinoa had finally recovered – the sight of him having immediately filled her with joy as she'd wasted no time in rushing to his side. Her touch; the feel of her body against his – it filled him with an overwhelming sense of warmth; of comfort and delight. It truly was the best moment he'd had in a long time.

Without another thought, he finally acted on his urges: slowly and carefully returning Rinoa's gesture as he wrapped his arms around her, embracing her warmly as he held her close. Rinoa smiled to herself happily, once again, at his actions as she remained in his arms silently. Squall leaned his head toward hers - feeling her dark, smooth hair against the side of his face as he stared at the top of her head for a moment – now smiling to himself as well as he closed his eyes, instantly allowing himself to get lost in the moment with her.

"Rinoa…" he said, in a gentle tone, as he caressed her hair tenderly.

Rinoa slowly let go of Squall – both moving their heads in unison as they looked at each other. She could see it in his eyes immediately: the happiness this moment had given him as he stared back at her ardently. There was a semblance of fear and sorrow behind such emotion, but he did his best to conceal it. Though this fact concerned her, a momentary look of question sweeping over her face, she quickly let it go – smiling at him once again as she nodded lightly. Squall merely responded in the same manner as he was consumed with a great swell of relief – and elation.

"I'm glad you're alright." he said, softly.

A smile swept across her face as a light laugh emitted – the young sorceress nodding at him lightly as Squall did the same, a faint sense of delight still lingering inside of him at the whole event. He couldn't even begin to express the amount of gratitude he felt to see her like this again.

Another light laughter was heard then, as Doctor Kadowaki's voice broke through the moment.

"You guys really are cute, you know that?" she said, smiling at them.

Rinoa quickly turned around at the sound of her voice.

"Oh, Doctor Kadowaki," she said, in a sweet voice, "Thank you, by the way."

"Yes. Thanks a lot." Squall said, sincerely, as he nodded in agreement.

Doctor Kadowaki just smiled once again as she shook her head in humility at their words.

"It's quite alright," she said, "I'm just glad to see you back on your feet. You be careful now though - both of you."

The sorceress and SeeD nodded in unison at her words before Rinoa turned to back toward Squall.

"Well…shall we go, Squall?" she said, sweetly, though a hint of assumption was evident in her voice.

"Yeah…" Squall replied, nodding.

Rinoa waved good-bye to Doctor Kadowaki before following Squall out of the room. However, no sooner had the doors closed behind them, Rinoa's smiled immediately faded – a fact that didn't go unnoticed by Squall as he looked at her curiously.

"Rinoa?"

"Hm?" she asked, looking up at him at the sound of her name.

Squall looked at her closely - detecting a sense of discomfort and uncertainty in her eyes as he tipped his head lightly in question.

"Are you okay?" he asked, a bit worriedly.

She immediately turned her head away slowly at his words as she stared at the ground for a moment – a sight that left Squall rather perplexed, and further worried as his concern for the young sorceress only grew at such an action.

"…Yeah," she said, muttered, "I-I'm fine."

She clasped her pendant lightly as she'd spoken, her face dropped as she continued to stare at the floor before attempting to step forward – only to be stopped by Squall once again.

"Rinoa, wait."

"Really, Squall, I'm fine," she replied, quickly, "I promise."

Squall ignored her words - instinct telling him otherwise as he quickly proceeded to touch her shoulder, turning her around toward him as he looked at her closely. Now, he could really see it: the fear; the hesitation he'd previously detected evident in her eyes as they stood there in silence for a moment. Squall didn't know what to make of such a sight. What did she have to be afraid of? She had just recovered from an undetermined injection and here she was – her sudden behavior completely illogical as she attempted to run from a conversation; a simple question born from concern; from the person whom had worried immensely about her the last two days - so much, in fact, that he had barely slept – if at all. He was rather unsettled by the whole predicament as he stared at her.

"Rinoa…" he said, adamantly.

Rinoa slowly turned her head away, realizing Squall wasn't going to fall for her obvious attempts to sway him off the subject. She had already made it more than apparent that something was wrong – and he clearly intended to find out what it was, despite her claims. She was immediately overcome with unease, and a terrible discomfort, as she sighed at the whole scenario.

"I just...I don't know," she mumbled, "I don't know if I can tell you, Squall. I don't know how."

Squall was in disarray by her choice of words – her nervousness; the tone of alarm she bore when she'd spoken in such a frail voice. The SeeD was unable to even try and quell his rising anxiety as he stared back at her intently.

"Tell me what?" he asked, his voice a bit hasty and bearing a tone of anticipation, "What is it? Are you okay?"

Rinoa glanced up at him for a moment – his expression revealing the vast amount of concern, and fear, he bore from this unsettling conversation. It only made the situation harder for her. She wanted to tell him – she just didn't know how to say it. How could she explain something she wasn't even entirely certain of herself yet anyway? She knew he was just trying to help, but she wished that this time – he'd be the one to back off.

Still, as she stared into Squall's eyes a bit longer, she realized that wasn't an option. He had no intentions of either of them walking away without an explanation – some sort of logical reasoning for her unexpected antics, much to her displeasure.

She slowly turned her head forward again, closing her eyes as Squall's remained fixated on her.

"Rinoa," he said, gently, "…Please. Talk to me."

Rinoa sighed at his words as she looked away again, taking a step forward. Squall watched her keenly as she walked a few feet – her head still directed at the tile floor as she thought to herself, searching for just the right words to tell him what was on her mind.

"I…I don't even know if it's true," she mumbled, "It just feels…"

She choked up on her words, unable to speak clearly as she went quiet again.

Squall stared back at her in unease by the scenario as he waited for her to speak – all the while, able to do little more than imagine what could possibly be on her mind. What exactly was going on? Since when was she so hesitant to speak up – especially around him? It was an awkward moment between them for sure – even more so than when he'd apologized to her just the other day. Compared to this, that had been nothing.

"Come on. It's okay. " he said, trying to encourage her with a soft voice.

Rinoa slowly turned around to face Squall, lifting her head towards him as she stared back at him closely for a moment before finally caving as she nodded lightly. She touched her pendant for a second again as she took a deep breath – still reluctant to share what was on her mind, but knowing there was no way around it.

"…I can't be entirely sure about it, but...something tells me it might be." she stuttered.

She closed her eyes at the thought of how that sentence would end – anxiety getting the best of her as she went quiet again, unable to continue once more. It was just so hard to say. She couldn't even really believe it herself. If it was true, a part of her was relieved. She'd be free from all the fears and doubts that had surmounted her over the past year of her life – able to live as she once had not long ago, as she'd long desired by now. Just the thought of it happening, filled her with an undeniable sense of joy, comfort, and acceptance – a feeling she hadn't felt in a long time.

However, the other part of her pleaded that it wasn't true. How could it be? She may not have grown fully accustomed to it, but it was still a part of her; what made her who and what she was now. She didn't know which one she wanted it to be more. First, she'd been afraid of it – but, now…she found herself afraid of losing it. It was an interesting irony as she stood there in silence for a moment, thinking on her situation – and her words.

Squall continued to stare back at her – the same, focused expression on his face as he waited in anticipation of what she'd say.

"What, Rinoa?" he asked, "What is it? Just tell me."

Rinoa glanced at him once more at his words - the look on his face: the sincerity and compassion showing clearly in his eyes as he stared back at her calmly, waiting. His stance and expression, both peaceful and relaxed – encouraging her to find the nerve she needed to tell him what she needed to; what he wanted to know.

She glanced at the floor one last time, nodding her head lightly as she tried again.

"I…I don't know how, but…" she said, her voice shaking again.

She paused for a moment as she sighed, taking another quick glance at Squall before finally finding the words this time.

She grasped her pendant tighter now as she shook her head faintly in disbelief, her lips trembling at the mere thought as she still struggled to say it - Squall's eyes lying fixated on her as he listened closely to the unexpected words that emerged from her mouth next.

"…I don't think I'm a sorceress anymore."

This revelation caught the SeeD by complete surprise as his eyes went wide, only able to stare at Rinoa in utmost shock as she stood across from him with a somber expression on her face.

***Author's Note* - Sorry if some parts don't seem as well thought out. I was up until 3:00AM to finish this, so yeah...it's a problem, lol.**


	14. Mind Over Matter

**Phenomenon**

**Mind Over Matter**

Squall and Rinoa stood in silence for a moment as the SeeD was still too shocked by her news to even think. Had he really heard right? Rinoa was no longer a sorceress? How was that possible? He did his best to break through his state of mind as he tried to comprehend how it could have happened. Was Odine responsible for this? Were his intentions for Rinoa really to make her lose her sorceress power? What would be the reason for such anyway? So many questions overwhelmed his mind as he continued to stand there, staring back at the sorceress in surprise, and confusion.

"…Squall…?" Rinoa asked, in a hushed, worried tone – his blank expression having filled her with a vast unease. She had expected the news would surprise him; maybe even concern him…but, she had also hoped he'd have come up with something to say; words of encouragement – of the reassurance she should be able to expect from her knight. Instead, however…all his reaction did was serve to fuel her confusion, and anxiety. It was disheartening, in the least, as she began to think she had made a mistake in telling him.

Squall looked at her closely, wanting to speak as it was obvious to him why she had brought it up in the first place – the look on her face a troubling sight for him as he saw how this discovery affected her. However, no words came to mind. Despite his urges, he couldn't think; didn't know how to respond to yet another sudden situation – especially one as peculiar as this. His thoughts were too wrapped up in the unexpectedness of it all. He couldn't bring himself to believe Odine could really want to take away Rinoa's powers. Out of all things the doctor had ever done, this was certainly the most bizarre and illogical yet.

He glanced at the floor – shaking his head slightly in perplexity.

"...I don't get it," he said, "Are you really sure?"

Rinoa sighed lightly as she looked toward the floor now, too, merely shaking her head lightly at his question. While she was glad he had at least spoken now, his words still hadn't helped to relieve the seemingly sullen atmosphere between them – or the affliction she faced in trying comprehend the conflict she felt inside of her.

She sighed to herself as she closed her eyes for a moment.

"That's just it…" she mumbled, "I'm not sure of anything."

She slowly turned away from him, walking forward a little more as Squall watched her – still a bit dumbfounded by the whole scenario.

Rinoa stared at the floor as she trekked a few steps, clutching her pendant as she thought on her words. It was just so hard to believe such a thing could be true, despite how strong a sense she had telling her otherwise. That odd feeling of powerlessness; of an emptiness she'd never known before clear inside of her, made it hard to deny any claims she'd just made. She couldn't really be certain of anything she'd just told him, but at the same time - if she did still have her powers…there'd be no way she could mistake such, right? It was a bewildering, and somewhat unsettling, occurrence that she couldn't even begin to make sense of. How could she possibly explain something even she didn't understand herself?

She stopped walking, keeping her back turned toward Squall and her eyes fixated on the floor – the timidity in her voice, unmistakable, as she spoke again.

"I'm not sure if they're gone – or, if it's just in my head..."

She paused as she dropped her head further , proceeding to turn back toward Squall slowly – her eyes immediately meeting his again as she stared into them for a moment. Squall stared back at her in with an unsettling feeling – the look on his face clearly expressing the extent to which this sudden and bizarre situation troubled him as he listened to her.

Rinoa struggled with her next words for a moment - the discomfort they brought quickly surmounting the young sorceress as she took a deep breath. It was disquieting for her to think such a thing – the hesitation she felt hinted in her voice as she slowly drew them out.

"…I'm not even sure…if I'm really that upset about it."

Those words enticed, yet once again, surprised Squall, as he looked at her in question at such a statement. He had known Rinoa wasn't exactly comfortable with having been a sorceress – but, nevertheless, he could never have quite imagined her saying such a thing. While the news wasn't exactly unexpected to him, it had still given him an odd feeling to have heard it from her personally.

Rinoa took a small step towards Squall – her pendant still clasped in her hand as she continued.

"I…I want to be happy, but…I just don't know if I should be."

"_Rinoa…"_ Squall thought - the concern, and compassion, he felt towards her, evident on his face.

Rinoa lightly grasped one arm as she dropped her head a little once again, taking in her own words for a moment as she really thought about them. A part of her regretted having said such a thing – even unable to imagine herself, that she could really feel such a way. She may not have been very fond of having immense, magical power – but, she had at least accepted it, despite what others had believed – and her own personal feelings on the matter. Though she had never warmed up to the idea or even grown fully accustomed to it, she had still been willing to make it work: doing her best to master control of her powers and come to terms with her new life – and having had friends to help her through such a time, had also made it easier to bear. They had encouraged her; would take time out of their day to do what they could to help her make peace with it. It had filled her with joy, relief – and hope, to know she had still been accepted by those around her – something she never thought she'd feel again. With these thoughts in mind, in retrospect…it was odd; disquieting, more so, to even think that such power as she once held could really be gone so easily; so suddenly. She didn't know whether to be sad or relieved. It was just too surreal to imagine. She finally had the life she'd so longed for once again that she had been stripped of in an instant. Yet, now…to finally, possibly have it back just like that – she wasn't so sure she liked it, in all honesty. It was a great conflict that swelled within her – the irony of her situation bearing down on her heavily as she stood there, reflecting on her life before – and now.

As Squall stood there, watching her in silence – the uncertainty she felt towards her predicament unmistakable in her words and stance…he could no longer take it. He looked at Rinoa intently as a thought came to mind before proceeding to walk toward her. Placing his hands on her shoulders gently, he didn't really think about his words before they quickly emerged from his mouth.

"You never know. This could be a good thing."

Rinoa looked at him in wonder – a hint of curiosity coming over her face at his statement. Truthfully, she didn't know whether to view such words with optimism, or pessimism – the hesitation she felt only increasing the internal conflict within herself. However, despite such ambiguity, she still held to her hopes for the better. The words had come from Squall, after all. When had he ever been one to mislead her – especially intentionally? This thought gave her a faint sense of comfort as she soon found herself even remotely intrigued by his words.

"…How?" she asked, in a quiet, yet hopeful, tone.

At her question, however, Squall quickly realized what he'd said and immediately felt a sense of regret – and shame, as he dropped his head. He hadn't meant to say what he did. He didn't even know where those words had come from. It was just another instance where he had caved under the pressure of the moment and spoken on impulse – his choice of words ultimately irrational, thus upsetting to himself. Not only that, he had intended for them to encourage her – but, instead, they had sounded so uncaring; inconsiderate even – a thought which only filled him with further disgrace. Just like that moment between them in the Training Center a few days prior, he wished he could take them back – as such actions, this time, now left him to provide an explanation for his words – words not even he himself could understand.

He looked at Rinoa again - the hopeful, yet nervous, tone she'd spoken with now evident on her face as she stared back at him in anticipation. Squall could only sigh lightly at the position he'd reluctantly thrust upon himself, thinking carefully on his words this time as he spoke again.

"…I don't really know, to be honest," he said, the shame, and embarrassment he felt, evident in his voice, "But, everything has a way of working out – even if it seems bleak at first. That's something you taught me."

Rinoa looked at him in question at that last statement – such words piquing her interest, yet surprising her, as she tipped her head lightly.

Squall took note of her reaction, immediately knowing what she was thinking as he was quick to explain himself further.

"It's just like when you first became a sorceress: you started off a little scared; uncertain of your new life and the future you might face because of it. This is the same situation – just in reverse."

Rinoa thought back to that instance last year on this note – the instance that had changed her life so drastically without warning. The mere memory of it provided her with the same, brief swell of fear that moment had given her as she even proceeded to recoil a bit – folding her arms across her torso like she may be sick any second. However, the feeling was quick to dissipate as she heard Squall's voice again.

"You made it work for you in the end, despite your fears," he stated, "You overcame your anxiety – opting to make the most of your predicament and eventually came to accept it. While you may still have held reservations towards it, you didn't let that faze you. Seeing the brighter side the situation provided you outweighed those fears – and soon, it just felt natural to you, right?"

Rinoa listened intently to his words - unable to deny the truth they indeed bore as she directed her head towards the floor for a moment, realizing what he was getting at.

Squall paused as he closed his eyes, taking in the moment: his words, the situation. Like Rinoa previously, he also couldn't be too sure of what he was saying – but, that didn't really bother him right now. Something about it all just felt right for some reason. Though the basis of their relationship may have been drastically altered, nothing was really all that different between them. Sorceress or not, it was still his job – his responsibility, to make sure she was safe; was happy - no matter what it took. He was still her knight, and would continue to be no matter what – her peace of mind, and spirit, his main priority, once again, as she made this major transition in her life. It was the promise he had made upon signing on for said role - what had sealed that special connection that bound them together as sorceress and knight – and he had no intentions of ever breaking that promise. No matter what happened, she was still Rinoa: the girl he had fallen for just one year ago, both overcoming their many differences to eventually develop a bond that knew no limits and exceeded far beyond that of any other relationship – and nothing was going to change that. It was all he needed to know.

"So, trust me," he said, sincerely, "It might not feel like it right now, I know - but, I'm sure that, given time…you'll get used to this again. Then, it won't feel so unnatural anymore. I promise."

Rinoa looked at him closely – staring into his deep, blue eyes as she thought on his words for a moment. As usual…Squall had a point. Why should she be surprised or unsettled by this? She had been normal once – back before this all began, after all. She had lived her life as she'd wanted – knowing no bounds or hesitations. While she may be vaguely familiar with fear, she had certainly never known it like life as a sorceress had made her – and it had also been easily allayed by her own ambition, allowing her to brush it off and see only the brighter side of the situations she faced. Being a sorceress may have brought her and Squall closer, sure – but, at the same time, it wasn't what had made their relationship – just allowed them to use that as a stepping stone toward something even more – something they still had, even if that special link was no more. Either way she'd choose to view this reality, the result was still the same: Squall was still there for her - his loyalty as the sorceress' knight remaining unfazed; unshaken. His words, and actions, revealed he still held true to his promise – having given her an undeniable sense of certainty and respite – a greatly appreciated opposition to her prior feelings of doubt and insecurity. She really could count on him at any time in any situation – and this moment was all the proof she needed of that. Even if her powers really were gone, he had still provided her, yet again, with the hope she'd been seeking – giving her the reassurance she needed that things would indeed be alright in the end. She was beyond grateful for such comfort as she smiled lightly at him – a faint tear of relief, and joy, trickling down her face as she nodded in acceptance.

Squall smiled back at her at the notion as he slowly removed his hands from her shoulders. Rinoa glanced at the floor for a moment, taking in the whole conversation as she took a deep breath.

"…You're right," she said, in a quiet voice, "Why shouldn't I be happy about this? It's what I'd wanted, after all."

She lifted her head toward a little, clutching her pendant once more as she closed her eyes for a moment. Though she couldn't deny a part of her would miss being a sorceress, it was more than enough for her to know she still had Squall to rely on despite such. That sense of emptiness still lingered clearly within her; an odd wound deep inside at yet another drastic alteration to her life…but, she did her best to ignore it – knowing, in time, that it would heal – and Squall would be there, by her side, to make sure of it. It was a deep-seated security that nothing could even attempt to shatter - no matter what.

She let out another sigh of relief at such a thought as she looked at Squall again.

"Who knows? Maybe…this is for the best," she said, softly, "Everything happens for a reason, right?"

Squall nodded at her words as a faint smile formed at the corner of his mouth.

"So, you're okay?" he asked, a hint of concern lingering in his tone.

Rinoa imitated his initial reaction as she now nodded her head in response– a laugh emitting from under her breath at the scenario. Squall's sincerity; his unyielding compassion, especially towards her and her well-being, only adding to his allure – and further serving to fuel that sense of hope and comfort he'd always provided her with.

"Yes. I promise," she said, as she smiled at him, "Thank you…Squall."

At those words, she immediately turned around – an action that, again, left Squall dumbfounded as he watched her start to walk away in question.

"Rinoa…?" he asked, the confusion, and worry, clear in his voice as he took a step forward – holding his hand out toward her.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me," she said, quickly, "I'll see you later."

She smiled one last time to reassure him before turning forward again and continuing onward. Squall could only continue to watch in wonder – her words, and tone of voice, striking a nerve within him that provided a strong sense of disbelief; a feeling of uncertainty, and hesitation, coming from Rinoa that he just couldn't shake. This odd, and somewhat frustrating, sensation greatly discomforted him as he stood there silently - trying to make sense of her actions, and the whole event in general, once more.

Rinoa disappeared around the corner a few seconds later, her head slowly dropping toward the ground as she thought to herself on the whole situation one last time. She clutched her pendant lightly in one hand as her face dropped now, as well – closing her eyes as another tear proceeded to roll down her cheek.

* * *

Squall took the elevator to Quistis' office – thoughts of his conversation with Rinoa still engraved in his mind as he thought to himself again. It still didn't make sense; didn't fit together at all, try as he did to make it. Could Odine really have taken away Rinoa's sorceress power? And, if so…why? It was the one question, above all which swirled in his head, that he couldn't manage to figure out. Knowing the doctor's knack for odd, and rather nefarious intentions, it just didn't seem like him to do such a thing – at least, not without more…disastrous results. Something about the whole thing greatly perplexed, and troubled him, as he continued to dwell on the matter more profoundly than before now. Then, there was Rinoa herself: something about her words – her actions, had only furthered his anxiety towards it all. She had said she was okay, and he wanted to believe her – but, that nagging feeling of doubt still pulled at him. Something about the whole ordeal had clearly affected her – but, whatever it was…she had no obvious intentions of sharing. It was something he knew about all-too well - and surprisingly…he found himself rather disgruntled by the perception it had given him. Now knowing how he must come off towards others often was an interesting, albeit frustrating, experience – and he could only hope, for now, that maybe he was wrong about it all. That maybe, Rinoa really was telling the truth.

Suddenly, he heard the doors open and lifted his head – the sight of Quistis, Xu, and Nida immediately grasping his attention as he sighed lightly to himself before quietly, and intently, walking toward them.

"Good, you're all here," he said, "I need to talk to you."

Their conversation immediately ceased as they turned around in unison at the sound of his voice – his words, and expression, confounding them somewhat, as they looked at him in question.

"Squall," Quistis asked, a surprised tone in her voice, "Where have you been?"

Squall closed his eyes for a moment at her question. Honestly, though he was about to tell them that very thing – her opening line had, nevertheless, left him a bit disconcerted - and irritated. He was well aware that his prior actions had most likely caused a disturbance amongst them – but, he had still hoped that, by now, they had learned to respect his privacy and intentions – Quistis especially. Her seeming impatience on the matter was of great annoyance, above all else, to the young Commander as he emitted a light grumble under his breath.

However, despite his frustration, he quickly pushed such thoughts aside – clearing the issue from his head immediately. He had come here for one reason only and was fully intent on acting on it. Besides, as far as they still knew: Esthar had allied against Balamb – their fears continuing to amass with each day, each hour that passed. They needed to know what was really going on so those same concerns he once held could be quelled for them as well. It was that exact thought that had compelled him to this very spot, this very moment, after all – and he wasn't one to go back on his word, or intentions.

He took a deep breath before opening his eyes again - looking at them intently as he finally spoke.

"…I was in Esthar."

Quistis and Nida's eyes went wide at his words – while Xu's reaction was, unfortunately, a little more extreme, as she looked at him with a straight face. Her eyes beamed with confusion, shock, and anger at once – a clear hint of the betrayal she felt evident in her eyes as she stared at him coldly.

"What were you doing _there_?" Xu asked, assumingly - the surprise, and anger, showing through in her voice, "All of the news regarding their new alliance, and you actually dare to trek into that territory? What could possibly make you do such a thing?"

Squall folded his arms as he looked away at her remark. Though he was somewhat angered by her response, it wasn't like he couldn't understand it either. For a moment, he regretted ever having said anything – Xu's reaction only filling him with a vast unease as he stood in silence. But, when he thought about it again…what other choice had he had really? If he hadn't gone to Esthar, he never would have discovered the truth behind everything – and like them, would still be living with fear and doubt as a close, unwanted companion – uncertainty continuing to guide his thoughts and actions. Though he hadn't intended, nor expected, the revelation that had unfolded before him then – he, nevertheless, had been brought to light on the truth of the matter – much to his relief. They could take this news however they chose to – but, at least now they knew. This fact was enough to help him through this encounter as he looked at them again, calmly.

"It's a long story," he stated, "But, my reasons don't matter. You have nothing to worry about."

Xu let out a bit of an exasperated sigh – his words doing little, if anything, to ease her mind towards him while Nida stared at him in question. Quistis, however, simply folded her arms at his statement – a look of intrigue coming over her face as she looked back at the young Commander in anticipation.

"What do you mean by _that_?" she asked.

Squall sighed as he went quiet again, thinking to himself once more. Would they really believe it if he told them, he wondered? Sure, they may not have wanted to believe, or accept, that Laguna could truly turn against them – but, that didn't mean such concerns could be so easily allayed – especially now, upon hearing that he had traveled to the massive, high-tech continent without their knowledge. The hesitation they held towards him, though slight, was obvious, nonetheless - and a part of him couldn't help but doubt they trusted him right now, which only served to fuel his growing anxiety.

Still, despite such thoughts and concerns towards the situation, he couldn't keep things concealed – allowing them to continue on misled about Esthar; about Laguna. Things were finally starting to ease up, or so it seemed, and the last thing he wanted was for anymore problems to arise – or remain.

"Squall…?" Quistis asked, a hint of worry in her voice.

Squall looked toward them again, her and Nida's faces bearing a look of concern towards their young superior. He glanced at Xu -the strong-minded brunette, though still holding a clear reservation towards him regarding his aforementioned actions - now, too, bearing a hint of compromise: agreeing to hear him out as he would try to explain himself and his proceedings. While still a bit discontent with her suspicions, he had to at least be grateful they were willing to listen to him.

He nodded his head as he looked at the three SeeDs earnestly - and finally began explain the long-anticipated truth of the matter.

"Laguna told me everything," he admitted, "We were wrong about Esthar. They haven't allied with Galbadia."

This sudden disclosure seemingly startled Quistis and Nida as they looked at him, again, in surprise.

"Are you sure?" Quistis asked.

Squall nodded in response.

"The situation was set up to look like Esthar had changed sides. They used Laguna as a pawn for their intentions," he stated, "Galbadia never even made contact with the Palace."

Quistis was overcome with confusion as she tried to make sense of yet another puzzle – looking at Squall intently now as that one question that had haunted her from the start, rose to the front of her mind once again.

"So…Laguna really is innocent in all of this?" she asked, her voice begging for affirmation, "He had nothing to do with what happened to Rinoa?"

Squall just nodded his head in confirmation.

"We just misread the information," he said, "He didn't even know anything about it until I brought it up."

Quistis and Nida both felt a swell of relief overcome them as they sighed in content at the news. Though Squall didn't have any proof to back up what he was saying, they knew the truth of what he'd told them. It wasn't in him to steer people wrong, after all – especially if they were friends of his.

Xu, however, hung her head at his words – the burden of responsibility for everything that had occurred up to now immediately falling upon her shoulders. She hadn't meant to mislead anybody. She had only told them what she herself had learned - and, now, aside from guilt…she also felt a bit embarrassed; ashamed. She had been the one to spread news of Esthar's supposed betrayal and ignited the fears and doubts they had lived in the past few days. Though she had only been trying to caution them, as ridiculous as it all may have sounded, she nevertheless had led them astray - even if advertently. In her alarm, she had let emotion get the best of her – her thoughts, and actions, driven by trepidation as she didn't even think to distinguish speculation from fact. She had known better than to act in such a way – but, just the mere possibility of it all being true had overwhelmed her. It was all her fault…or, so she felt.

"…I'm sorry," she mumbled, "I just couldn't afford to take any chances. I…I didn't mean to cause such a ruckus."

Squall just waved his hand in dismissal of her words – brushing off the matters of the past as he shook his head lightly.

"_Forget about it. It's not important."_ he thought.

"At least we know we wrong," Quistis said, playing off of Squall's actions, "Esthar hasn't betrayed Balamb. That's all that matters."

Xu lifted her head towards Quistis – the young headmaster's smile a source of appreciation, and comfort, for the SeeD as she nodded in return.

"So, Esthar is still our ally?" Nida asked, "We really _don't_ have anything to worry about?"

Squall nodded his head, again, in response to the SeeD's questions.

"Laguna is working on trying to uncover Galbadia's intentions," he explained, "He said they're prepared to help at any time if needed."

All three of them relaxed at those words, smiling and nodding lightly in understanding.

"Thanks for telling us, Squall," Nida said, gratefully, "At least that's all behind us now."

He bowed in respect, and appreciation, at the young Commander – Squall merely nodding, once again, at his notion.

Quistis closed her eyes as she looked toward the floor – Squall's words sticking in her mind for a moment as she thought on the whole ordeal. Though she was still greatly disturbed by the entire mess, it had nevertheless relinquished a great amount of stress to know Laguna truly had been blameless in it all. The young headmaster couldn't even begin to express her joy, and relief, at knowing her original thoughts about the kindly man had been right all along.

She looked at Squall again as another thought came to mind. She was afraid to speak up about it for a moment, however - uncertainty of his reaction being the source of her hesitation. The whole situation pertaining to Rinoa had clearly affected him more than anyone else and she didn't want to bring up any bad memories – especially given the rather enlightening moment they were in right now. However, personal thoughts aside, she still couldn't refrain. She, too, cared much about Rinoa – the whole of her condition, and the partial responsibility for it, still pulling at her tirelessly as each day passed. She had to know, just in case…for her own peace of mind.

Although still a bit worried as to how Squall might take it, she forced herself to speak up – the words slow to come at first as they finally emerged from her lips.

"…How is Rinoa anyway?" she asked, quietly.

Squall turned his head away at her question, thinking to himself again as he went silent – an action that only left Quistis with regret for having ever brought it up as she dropped her head. She had pretty much expected such a reaction, but that didn't mean it didn't bother her – affect her in anyway to see it.

Despite her thoughts, however, and Squall's reaction - he wasn't upset about the subject of Rinoa. He wanted to answer – he just didn't know how. What could he say exactly? No matter how many times he went over it, like all prior events…he still couldn't make any sense of the matter. Had Rinoa truly lost her sorceress powers just like that? Could this be the intention behind Odine's injection of her? Or, maybe…it was just an unfortunate side-effect somehow? The questions that filled his mind each time he thought about it were endless – and he couldn't come up with any logical excuse behind such a motive. He wanted to be happy for Rinoa, but he still couldn't fully bring himself to believe it could have actually happened. On top of that, her behavior as she had walked away still left him no less perplexed than before. He wanted to believe she really was okay with it - that not being a sorceress anymore truly had been taken as a blessing by her…but, that feeling of doubt at the thought continued to nag at him. Though she may have appeared somewhat pleased by the discovery, her words – and more importantly, her actions, had said otherwise. Something about it all had struck a nerve with him – and he couldn't shake it, or the agitation he felt, from his head. Of all things he'd been hit with the last few days, this one certainly baffled him the most.

"Squall?" Nida asked, a bit unsettled by the awkward silence in the room, "Are you okay?"

He sighed to himself as he looked toward the floor for a moment – his reaction only causing a bigger stir amongst Quistis, Xu, and Nida as they looked at him anxiously. He had to speak up; say something on the subject soon to avoid any further discomfort - for himself, and them…but, no words came to mind, try as he did to think of any. How could he possibly answer the question? Where did he even start? He still barely stood to understand how any of it could have happened. How could he explain something he couldn't even begin to comprehend? He needed more information first. Information he didn't have – but, hoped to soon. Until then, however…who was he to bring up such a matter without Rinoa's consent? He was uncomfortable enough just knowing about it. If that was the case, he certainly wasn't willing to share it.

He lifted his head towards the trio again, regaining his composure as he looked at them.

"…She's fine," he said, in a low voice, "She wanted to be alone for a while, so that's how I ended up here."

"Where is she?" Xu asked, a bit puzzled by his vague reply. Her question, and tone with which she'd spoken, clearly reflected her desire for a clearer response as she looked at him with anticipation. Squall paid no mind to such a reaction, however – glancing towards the floor briefly as he shook his head lightly.

"She's back on her feet. That's all that matters." he said, a semblance of displeasure from her question in his voice.

Xu looked at him intently for a moment before nodding her head in compliance – his response giving clear insight that he had no intentions of saying anymore on the subject. It was a notion that left her rather uncomfortable, and insulted, but it was still good to know Rinoa was alright.

Quistis breathed another sigh of relief at the news. Though it was obvious to her that their questions had indeed bothered Squall, his answer had, nevertheless, eased her anxiety – and the burden she'd been carrying since it had occurred. Although the reason behind Galbadia's involvement of Rinoa in their intentions still remained to be seen, she quickly set that thought aside – hoping, and believing that, in time…everything would fall together. For now…it was enough to know Rinoa had recovered and was doing fine as she smiled to herself.

"Happy to hear it," she said, gratefully, "You must be glad."

Squall looked away at her remark as he folded his arms again.

"…Yeah." he said, quietly.

Quistis was puzzled, and a bit concerned, by such a reaction as she looked at him in question.

"Squall…?"

"I'm fine," he said, quickly looking at her again, "It's nothing…"

He took on a more relaxed stance now as he nodded at the trio once again, hoping to take the spotlight off of him as he brought their conversation to a close.

"Anyway, that was all I had to say," he said, "Despite what I said about Esthar, Galbadia still remains a threat. Do not forget. We'll continue to keep a close eye on them – watching out for any other suspicious activity they may perform. We should hear something from Laguna before too much longer, so be ready."

They all nodded at once in understanding of his words.

Squall looked away again for a moment as Rinoa's enigmatic expression came to his mind once more, briefly. He may not be able to say for sure what she truly thought about her new, and unexpected, situation – but, he was well aware of his own displeasure. The conflict he struggled with inside himself was nearly unbearable as it drove him crazy with frustration. He had to find her and get the confirmation he needed. It was all he could think to do in order to relieve his thoughts and put this odd matter behind him.

He looked back toward the others as he, too, nodded lightly now.

"Alright," he said, his voice low again, "…Later."

With that, he quietly turned around and headed back towards the elevator – stepping inside as the doors closed behind him immediately and he disappeared from sight.

Xu turned toward Quistis and Nida with a troubled, and perplexed, expression on her face.

"Well, that was…odd, don't you think?" she asked.

"Maybe…," Nida replied, as he shrugged a little, "But, that's just typical Squall. There's no sense in dwelling on it. We've got other things to focus on anyway."

Xu quickly dismissed the subject as she nodded her head in agreement.

"You're right," she said, "Forget I mentioned it."

They immediately returned to their previous endeavors from before Squall had entered the office – both more than willing to put it behind them as they immediately dove into their work once again. Quistis, however, stood in silence as she thought to herself for a moment – an expression of bewilderment, and disbelief, on her face at Squall's conduct as she continued to stare towards the elevator. It didn't make sense to her one bit. If anyone was expected to be happy about Rinoa's recovery, it was certainly Squall – yet, his words and actions pertaining to such said very little of the sort. It was odd, and deeply troubling, to the young woman as she reflected on their conversation. For some reason, she had a strange hunch that there was something Squall hadn't told them – something that he had left little room for her to doubt pertained to Rinoa. Whatever it was, however…he had every intention of keeping it to himself.


	15. Distortions

**Phenomenon**

**Distortions**

Deling returned to the Deep Sea Research Facility alone. As he stepped inside, he was intrigued to find Odine was already there – the ever-eccentric doctor hard at work as he appeared to be making an analysis of sorts. The president could only smirk at the sight as he approached the small man, unnoticed.

"I see you never miss an opportunity, Doctor." he said.

Odine looked up from his work and noticed Deling standing before him – a look of question on his face towards the young president for a moment before retracting his attention back to the computer.

"I vas just making sure all conditions in ze pod were normal," he stated, "Ze success of ze plan is dependant on ze experiment, after all."

Deling scoffed under his breath at Odine's words as he glanced from the computer to the doctor.

"So, how is it coming along?" he asked.

"Ze progress iz astounding indeed," Odine said, sounding rather impressed, "At zis rate, it should be ready within forty-eight hours."

"Really?" Deling asked, a cunning expression expanding across his face.

He glanced toward the pod in the center of the facility – the container he had previously junctioned to it still steadily releasing its contents as the data from the computer continued to flow towards it rapidly. In the center of the endless process, the experiment sat idle within the pod – all the while feeding off of the combined efforts of the liquid and massive calculations.

Deling closed his eyes in another moment of ecstasy at the sight as a sly expression formed on his face. He looked toward Doctor Odine again as he nodded lightly.

"Well, in that case - it would seem it's time for a little…collateral," he said, "You seem to have everything under control here, Doctor. I'll leave you to continue your work."

He immediately turned around, proceeding to walk towards the exit while Odine watched him curiously.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

Deling stopped in his tracks at the sound of the doctor's voice – another smirk forming from his mouth as a specific face stuck to the front of his mind.

"I have an important matter I must attend so as soon as possible," he explained.

He turned his head a little to look back at the doctor out of the corner of his eye.

"It's always easier to reel in your fish when you have the proper bait."

With those last words, he faced forward again – sneering at the thoughts in his head, and the whole scenario in general, before finally exiting the facility. Doctor Odine watched him for a moment in a bit of question before turning his attention back to the computer in front of him.

* * *

Squall searched the main floor of Garden looking for Rinoa, but to no avail. He had scoured the Quad and the infirmary multiple times, and even frequented the library: her favorite place – yet neither she, nor any clues as to her whereabouts, remained to be seen. This discovery greatly troubled, and perplexed, the SeeD, as he began to get a little anxious. It wasn't like Rinoa to keep secrets – so the fact that she had seemingly disappeared only served to fuel his original thoughts on the matter as he stopped in his tracks, staring towards the floor whilst thinking hard to himself on where else she might be. There were only so many reasons that would compel Rinoa to act so unexpectedly, out of character. It was all too obvious to him now that the gravity of the situation really had gotten to her – more than she had been willing to believe, or let on. He should know her well enough by now to know that she couldn't easily make such a major transition in her life, as she had proven so much upon having become a sorceress - the new life she had inherited had instantly surmounted her with heavy fears and doubts. To an extent, he was mad at himself for having let her go. He hadn't believed her when she said she would be fine anyway; he had_ known _she was lying. He had only let her be out of respect and trust. Now, however, seeing as his reservations brought this upon him - the anxiety and concern he felt was overwhelming. He just had to find her soon so he could put his mind at ease – and this whole ordeal to rest.

"_Where could she be…?" _he asked himself, a hint of worry on his face as he stood there in silence.

He glanced around the area for a moment as he tried to think of any other place Rinoa might have gone; any location around Garden that he may have missed, or not considered somehow. However, just before he was about to step forward to continue his search, he heard someone call to him from behind.

"Hey, Squall!"

Squall turned around upon hearing his name to find Irvine Kinneas, again, coming toward him – the undying, bright smile on the sharpshooter's face aggravating him a little as he grumbled lightly to himself. Given his confrontation with Zell a while before, he could only imagine what might be on Irvine's mind. It was like déjà vu that he was reluctant, and hapless, to relive.

"_Great. Here we go again." _he thought, irritably.

The sniper happily approached the young Commander, only to be greeted coldly with an abrupt statement.

"Don't ask." Squall grumbled.

"What?" Irvine asked, tipping his head in bafflement as he looked at Squall in question.

Squall folded his arms in a bit of displeasure as he exhaled heavily.

"I know I didn't you tell you guys about Esthar and Galbadia," he said, "I already went over this with Zell. I'm sorry I left you in the dark, but I had my reasons. You're just going to have to accept that."

Irvine nodded at the brunette's words, realizing the notion behind his aloof greeting as he immediately proceeded to brush off the whole idea.

"Oh! That," he said, waving his hand in dismissal of his words, "Nah, I don't care. I totally understand."

"…You do…?" Squall asked, looking at him in surprise.

Irvine nodded his head once more as he tipped his hat a little.

"Sure," he said, "I mean, yeah, I was a bit upset at first…but, it's fine now. There was a lot going on at the time – you know, with Rinoa and all. I don't blame you for not saying anything. It couldn't have been easy to deal with. No worries."

Squall slowly unfolded his arms as he looked at Irvine in a bit of gratitude. He really couldn't believe that, for once, someone actually thought against prying into his business. He was so sure the guy was going to go off on him, like Zell, for having kept such major information from them – leading to yet another discomforting, and frustrating, encounter. It was one of the few times he was glad to have been wrong as he nodded lightly at the sniper – a faint smile forming at the edge of his mouth, despite his attempts to hide such emotion.

"…Thanks," he said, quietly, "I appreciate it."

Irvine just nodded in response as he quickly recalled his reason for showing up.

"So, uh…what's goin' on?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" Squall asked, his expression now changing to one of perplexity.

Irvine shrugged as he reiterated on his question a little.

"Well, I mean…you seem kind of distracted or so," he explained, "I just wanted to know if you were alright."

Squall didn't reply – merely turning his head away in discontent as he closed his eyes and fell silent. Since such actions from him were nothing new to Irvine, he immediately got the sense that something was wrong, once again, and a look of question came over his face. Squall only went into such a stance when he either didn't want to talk – or, there was something bothering him. Now, having known the introverted teen for a year, he had learned how to read him a bit easier. Squall really wasn't all that hard to figure out anymore – at least for his friends.

However, despite his concerns, Irvine was still a bit hesitant to ask. If something really was wrong with Squall, he knew he'd never want to talk about it. He'd been fortunate enough, and rather surprised, when the SeeD had even managed to tell him anything during their previous encounter a few days ago. He really didn't want to push it. What were the chances of getting him to talk twice anyway? Still though…just in case his thoughts were accurate, he couldn't stand to see Squall, or anyone for that matter, in such a state. Even if the SeeD would reprimand him again for butting into his personal life…he still had to ask.

He took a deep breath, unable to completely relinquish his hesitation as the words slowly drew out of his mouth.

"…Somethin' wrong?" he asked.

Squall still didn't respond in any way, keeping his head turned away from the marksman as he exhaled lightly in a bit of annoyance. Apparently, he had thought too soon in regards to Irvine's logic.

"_What makes anyone think that?" _he asked himself, _"Why does this keep happening? People seem to like assuming the worst with me. I don't get it. I'm fine. Stop asking me already."_

Despite such thoughts, and his disgruntlement towards the scenario, however, he did his best to conceal his frustrations as he turned toward Irvine again slowly.

"…I'm fine," he mumbled, "I'm just looking for Rinoa. Have you seen her?"

Irvine scratched his head a little as he thought to himself – the notion only a source of further disappointment, and aggravation, for Squall as his impatience grew.

"…Can't say I have," he said, throwing his arms out a little in bafflement, "Sorry."

Squall sighed at his words as he closed his eyes again - quite dissatisfied, and a bit irritated, with the situation. Really, he had expected as much. But, if Irvine was going to delay him, and his search hadn't gotten anywhere anyway, he had thought he might as well ask. Now, however…he wondered why he'd even bothered. Rinoa could be anywhere in Garden by now – and here he was, dawdling. He was only wasting his time.

Irvine looked at Squall intently as he studied the quiet teen's expression.

"Why do you need to find her anyway?" he asked, a little more eagerly this time, "You two at it again?"

He chuckled a little at that last question – an action that left Squall rather irate now and he glared at Irvine coldly for a moment. The friendly sniper took note of the brunette's stare and instantly backed off – recoiling a bit at the sight while his laughing ceased immediately.

"Err…sorry," he said, a bit embarrassed now, "I was just joking."

"_Whatever." _Squall thought, folding his arms and looking away once more.

Irvine looked at the floor in a bit of discomfort from the slight tension between them as he thought to himself once more on Squall's question. He had thought Rinoa was still in the infirmary, completely unaware that she had apparently recovered – judging by the brunette's words. If that was truly the case though, like Squall…he really couldn't imagine where else she might be found. He hated to be so unhelpful, especially with matters concerning his friends – but, no one knew Rinoa better than Squall. If he couldn't find her…what were the chances anyone else could?

"Anyway…I have no idea where she might be." he said, a bit regretful, as he shook his head lightly.

He glanced to his right and his eyes locked on the hallway to the training center – the sniper immediately getting a strange sense as he looked at Squall again.

"…Why don't you check the Training Center?" he suggested, innocently.

Squall just looked at him in disbelief at such an irrational thought.

"Why would she be in there?" he asked, nearly grumbling as he immediately dismissed the idea.

"I don't know," Irvine shrugged, "Rinoa's still trying to adjust to her powers, right? She'd surely get the opportunity in there, don't you think?"

Squall folded his arms once more as he closed his eyes – Irvine's words getting to him a little as he looked away again. It was that very reason that he could so easily deny such a notion. Rinoa had never been much of a fighter to begin with – and now, no longer being a sorceress…she'd have even less of a reason to do something so brash. She may not have always thought things through completely, but she certainly wasn't an idiot. She knew her limitations and she would never even think to trek into the Training Center – especially alone. It was an absurd concept the way he saw it. Though he was well aware that Irvine lacked the knowledge of what had happened to her, he still couldn't help but feel a bit offended at his assumption. Rinoa was well aware of the dangers the Center held – that it was certain death to those unprepared for its challenges. He had told her that himself just last year, after all. She would never do such a thing. He was confident of that.

Irvine looked at Squall cautiously – a bit unsettled by the latter's silence, and stance, as he was hesitant to speak for a moment.

"…Squall?" he asked, in a nervous tone.

Squall slowly unfolded his arms upon hearing his name as he looked at Irvine, knowing what he was thinking by the sound of his voice.

"…It's nothing," he said, in a low tone, "Thanks anyway."

"Sure…?" Irvine replied, questioningly, shrugging again in mystification at the whole scenario.

Without another word, he quietly turned around and walked off – leaving Squall alone again as the young Commander stood in silence for another moment. He slowly turned toward the Training Center and stared down the hallway - doubt filling his mind once again and he quickly shook his head in denial.

"_There's no way…" _he told himself, as he closed his eyes once more at the thought. He couldn't believe he was even considering taking up Irvine's suggestion. He was positive, beyond a doubt, that Rinoa couldn't possibly have done such a thing. What reason would she even have for venturing into there? She had made it rather apparent, even vaguely, that the area scared her. It was suicide as far as she was concerned. She wasn't even comfortable going in there with him. Why would she even think about entering alone? The whole concept was completely ludicrous.

He scoffed to himself – quick to brush it off, once again, as he turned his head away for a moment.

"_Give me a break." _he thought, mockingly.

Despite his thoughts, however, he slowly turned to look toward the Training Center again – unable to shake the faint sense of anxiety that he could feel swelling inside of him once more. As his eyes fixated on the hallway ahead one more time, he was suddenly overcome with a strong sense of certainty – and dread; a feeling of trepidation that completely depleted any prior feelings and thoughts of doubt as something inside told him to go in. He couldn't get himself to move at first, however, as he remained skeptical for a bit longer – still unable to believe that it could actually be true: that Rinoa could really be so careless; so irresponsible enough to do something that stupid. She may get in over her head at times, but she definitely wasn't reckless. With or without her sorceress power, there was no way she could have lasted very long in there. She had limited ability when it came to fighting, and on top of that - she didn't have the mental capacity to properly deal with the creatures that roamed those treacherous grounds. It just wasn't possible in his mind. There was no way it was true.

Still…as he continued to stand there, staring down the long corridor, his feeling finally became too much to resist and he could no longer restrain himself.

"...Rinoa?" he thought aloud.

Without hesitation, he rushed down the hallway – trying to ignore any nightmarish thoughts of Rinoa that attempted to enter his mind as he made his way toward the Center as fast as he could.

* * *

Upon entering the area, Squall stopped, briefly – glancing from either doorway that led to the training grounds as he tried to determine which way he should go; which way would get him to Rinoa faster. He still wasn't entirely certain she was in here, but the thoughts and fears he bore toward the likelihood were too strong even for him to resist.

"Which way did she go?" he asked himself, looking around in a bit of a panic. Honestly, it wasn't so much that he lacked confidence in her, or her ability – but, more so, that he knew full-well exactly the kind of potential the monsters in the Center wielded. A few Grats were nothing – even for Rinoa, with or without her powers. The little kids around Garden had even taken them on for crying out loud, and the chance of her encountering one was rather high – a faintly comforting fact for the SeeD, even at such a moment as this.

Yet, even with such odds, good as they were…there was still that chance; that remnant possibility that she'd encounter something more – the fiercest and strongest of any monster the dangerous grounds harbored, and what supported their potential to doom those ill-equipped to their grim demise: T-Rexaur. For an accomplished fighter, the monstrous foe, though still a bit of a challenge, really wasn't too much to worry about. But, for an untrained and unsuspecting individual unfortunate enough to cross paths with the colossal adversary - the end result was believed inevitable. Should Rinoa come face to face with the beast…he couldn't even bear the thought of how it would end. He had to find her – and fast. It was the only choice he had.

As he stood halfway between both doors for another moment, his eyes were suddenly drawn to the right-side entrance – a strange sense of assurance coming over him as he stared at the door in question for a moment.

"Hm…?" he mumbled, tipping his head slightly.

Unable to resist the strange urge he felt, he immediately proceeded to dash through the doorway.

* * *

When Squall was just a few yards into the next area of the Training Center, he heard a loud shout – followed by what sounded like a strike of thunder. He instantly stopped in his tracks as he came to an opening, turning his head to the left to see a familiar figure standing in the distance as a Grat cried out in defeat.

Rinoa stood with her back turned toward Squall, panting a little from the fight she'd just endured as she stared ahead intently.

"Rinoa!" a voice shouted.

She instantly turned her head around at the sound of her name to see Squall hurrying toward her, seemingly in a panic.

"Squall…?" she asked, a bit surprised by his sudden appearance.

Overcome with impatience, and immense concern for Rinoa's safety, Squall cut his run short in attempt to get to her faster: jumping off the small dock across the water and landing on the ground a few feet from where she stood. Rinoa watched in question, and a bit of confusion, at Squall's apparent alarm as he quickly approached her.

The SeeD stopped a couple feet from the young sorceress, his eyes bearing nothing but worry and fear as he stared at her in apparent surprise. Rinoa was puzzled by his expression – a perplexed look expanding across her face as she stared back at him in wonder.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I've been looking for you all over Garden," he answered, the worry clear in his voice, "I thought something might have happened to you - and when I found out you were in here, I began to think the worst. Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?"

Rinoa looked at Squall in silence – a faint smile forming on her face as she was overcome with pleasure, and apology. She was grateful to know Squall had been so concerned about her, but at the same time she hadn't meant to worry him – especially so badly, and his current state of mind certainly explained his haste. She couldn't remember ever having seen him so alarmed; so apprehensive – even when it came to her…but, it wasn't like she couldn't understand it just the same. For a moment, she felt regret for having brought such thoughts and concerns down on him. It was the exact thing she had previously reprimanded him for just the other day– and, now she'd had the audacity to pull off the same stunt. It was an interesting, yet uncomfortable, reversal – and she could only drop her head a little as she stared toward the ground.

"I'm fine," she said, softly, a hint of shame in her voice, "I didn't mean to cause any problems for you though. I'm sorry."

The regret in her voice, and actions, was all too obvious to Squall as he looked at Rinoa – her head still directed towards the floor. The whole scene briefly reminded him of that moment a few days prior. It was like déjà vu. There were very small differences in the two scenarios, if any – having happened under the same circumstances, and in the same spot. Just by being on the other side of the situation this time had allowed him to realize exactly what he must have put Rinoa through – and he didn't like the feeling it had provided him with at all. He could only sigh to himself at the whole ordeal as he shook his head lightly.

"…As long as you're okay," he said, "I suppose I deserved that anyway."

Squall closed his eyes, thinking back to the moment right before Rinoa had come into his line of sight. That sound he'd heard – so loud; so familiar, yet unexplainable. He knew what it had sounded like, but since it was only possible by use of a spell…it didn't make sense he'd have heard it at all. No monsters in the area knew any magic of the sort – and Rinoa was no longer a sorceress. She had said it herself. With such facts in mind, he began to believe he may have imagined it for a moment. However, he was just as quick to dismiss the notion. Her voice before the sound was unmistakable – and she had been the only other person in the area, after all. With these thoughts in mind, he was overcome with the strange sense that there was something she wasn't telling him as he looked at her again, curiously.

"Why are you in here alone, Rinoa?" he asked, a bit suspiciously, "What's going on? What was that sound?"

Rinoa lowered her head at his questions, immediately realized she'd been caught, as she stared down at her pendant – clutching it in her hand.

"…Oh. Um…" she muttered.

She thought to herself for a moment as she struggled with whether or not to tell him. She wanted to – she just wasn't sure how he'd take it, in all honesty. Squall could forgive a lot of things – but, lying? There was no telling what would come from it. She hadn't meant to do it – she'd simply been mistaken. Upon having made the startling discovery, she wanted to be happy about it – and wanted to believe Squall would be, too. However, her hesitations were enough to keep her from speaking up. It had already taken her a year to get Squall to learn to trust others – and the last thing she wanted was to completely shatter that bond; cause him to build up that very wall she had spent so long chipping away at. It pained her to imagine such a thing happening as she remained silent, contemplating every possible scenario in her head.

Squall was perplexed, and a bit concerned, by Rinoa's strange silence as he looked at her in question.

"Rinoa?" he asked.

His voice broke her out of her state of mind as she lifted her head to look at him – her eyes immediately fixing on his face. His expression bore a look of wonder – of the worry he harbored in regards to her; to the whole situation before him. He had come here out of concern for her safety – his fear only having increased further upon finding her, believing she was in danger as he'd wasted no time in rushing to her side. She felt guilty for causing him further stress and anxiety. He had already been through enough the past couple days and she certainly wasn't making it any easier on him.

She closed her eyes as she shook her head in defiance of herself. This was completely ridiculous of her to behave in such a way. Squall had never given her any reason to be scared of him in all the time they had been together. He had always been there for her, watching out for her well-being – and constantly reminding her of exactly how much she could count on him. This moment was just more proof of how much she mattered to him. Where was this fear and doubt coming from all of a sudden? What exactly was she so nervous; so scared about? She wanted to tell him – there was no denying that. The words were there on the tip of her tongue – waiting, urging for her to speak so they could come out, if only she could bring herself to open her mouth. After all he's done for everyone – for her…the least she could do was tell him what he wanted to know, and put his mind at ease.

With these thoughts in mind, she finally reached her decision. Mustering up the courage to speak now, she looked at Squall intently – taking a deep breath before she finally spoke.

"…It was me." she said, softly.

"What?" Squall asked, tipping his head in further confusion by such odd words.

Rinoa cleared her throat, a little embarrassed upon realizing how she must have sounded given his response. Despite her beliefs about everything, she had still managed to cave to that lingering hesitation – her words coming out vague and peculiar, instead of what was intended. She sighed lightly, glancing down at her pendant again for a moment as she held it closer.

She lifted her head back towards Squall – making sure to relax completely before she attempted to reiterate herself more clearly.

"That sound you heard – it was me," she admitted, "I'm still-"

She was immediately cut off by a loud roar that echoed throughout the Center. Rinoa quickly whipped around – only to be greeted by the sight of T-Rexaur as it stood over her and Squall, towering over the two with its ever-menacing size and stance. The blue-clad sorceress was immediately overcome with fear at the terrifying sight as she froze in her place – able to do little more than stare up at it in petrification.

"RINOA!" Squall shouted, unhesitant to rush to her defense, once again, as he jumped in front of her.

His voice broke through Rinoa's state of shock and she quickly recovered, slowly backing up behind Squall now. The SeeD drew his gunblade in preparation to fight – Rinoa's safety the only thought on his mind as he glared up at the gigantic beast intensely.

"What? You want revenge or something?" Squall asked, sarcastically, recalling his previous encounter with the same foe a couple days prior.

The massive creature merely leered down at them in response to his words – opening its mouth as it roared once more a few feet from their heads. The action made Rinoa jump as she cowered a little behind Squall, leaning forward as she closed her eyes tight – wishing for the frightening encounter to be over already.

Squall remained unalarmed, however, as he kept his eyes locked on the beast intently. He glanced back at Rinoa for a moment - the sight of her condition immediately filling him with regret and anger as he cursed the whole scenario. She looked so scared; so helpless – her knees trembling beneath her as she stood there in sheer terror at the sight. He could handle a foe like this - it was no problem for him. But, Rinoa clearly wasn't prepared for such an encounter – and it was only more obvious seeing her now. She was his main priority; his only priority, and he had to make sure she was safe. That was the only thing that mattered to him.

"Rinoa, run!" he ordered, "I'll handle this!"

With those words, he turned back toward the monster and acted immediately - officially engaging the enormous foe in combat as he hurried towards it unhesitatingly. Rinoa stood back in panic as she watched Squall close in on it. Despite his orders, she couldn't bring herself to leave him behind. She knew he'd probably be okay in the end, but even just knowing wasn't enough for her in this situation. She wanted to act; wanted to help him – but, she was just too scared to move or think. She could only continue to watch from her spot in sheer trepidation as Squall took on the colossal creature alone.

Taking his last battle with the foe into consideration, Squall unleashed Rough Divide on T-Rexaur once again as he leapt high into the air – striking it in the head with a heavy blow. He landed on the ground safely as he the massive beast roared out in pain from the attack. Squall then looked to his right and noticed Rinoa was still in the vicinity – a look of fear and disbelief coming over him at the sight as he could feel his blood run cold instantly.

"Rinoa, what are you doing? I told you to get out of here!" he hollered, angrily.

Rinoa was quick to respond as she shook her head in defiance of his words.

"No!" she argued, "I'm not leaving you behind, Squall!"

Easily detecting the adamancy in her voice, Squall grumbled to himself as he realized she wasn't going to listen. Really, he had kind of expected as much. Rinoa always did what she wanted - and wasn't one to leave those she cared about to fend for themselves, whether or not they were capable of such. While he was pleased she was so worried about him, he was also a little aggravated by that fact. It wasn't easy to keep her safe when she was so willingly, and knowingly, endangering her life.

He dropped his head towards the floor, shaking it lightly - only to be reminded of what was going on when he heard T-Rexaur cry out again.

He quickly lifted his head, immediately rising to his feet as he wasted no time in resorting to the first strategy to cross his mind. He held his hand out toward the beast's head and a Blizzaga spell appeared above it - proceeding to promptly drop on top of the foe and making it flinch greatly, once more, from the attack. Squall smirked at the success as he was quick to follow up: rushing toward the monster again, rapidly. Upon approaching, it lowered its head and he instantly took advantage – jumping up high enough to reach it as he slammed his Lionheart down hard onto the massive foe's face. T-Rexaur released a deafening cry from the assault, shaking its head violently while it tried to recover – greatly overcome with pain, and fury, from the SeeD's strike.

Squall landed on the ground again - this time with his back to the creature, as he looked toward Rinoa once more. However, before he could do anything else, he saw her eyes widen – proceeded by a shout of utter horror as she pointed behind him.

"SQUALL, WATCH OUT!"

Squall instantly turned his head to see T-Rexaur's massive jaw coming down on him – with no time for the SeeD to act. Overcome with a nightmarish thought of Squall's possible impending doom, and seeing her chance, Rinoa could no longer contain herself as she finally took action – breaking into the fight as she now came to _his_ rescue.

"ULTIMA!" she yelled, loudly, quickly raising her hand into the air. Immediately, a bright flash appeared above the creature as it was rapidly engulfed in a massive, green ball of energy. The spell continued to expand greatly in size, appearing to surpass that of its regular potential, before finally exploding - T-Rexaur ultimately ending up on the losing end of the battle as it let out one last cry, before finally collapsing to the ground hard.

Squall slowly rose to his feet as he caught his breath, staring at the defeated colossus for a moment before turning his head towards Rinoa - an expression of curiosity instantly coming over his face. The raven-haired sorceress stood a few feet from him – she, too, panting from the whole predicament as she appeared unaware of the SeeD's stare and state of shock, her eyes lying fixated on T-Rexaur. She seemed somewhat surprised herself by what had just happened, but it was hard to say for sure. After all, she had been so overwhelmed with fear that she could simply just be experiencing the repercussions of such a high state of emotion. It had been a rather sudden, and clearly horrific, encounter they'd just endured – and for someone of little fighting experience, mixed with a gentle-nature like Rinoa's…it was nothing short of expected really. Whatever it was though, Squall could only continue to stare at her in wonder as he carefully approached.

"Rinoa. How did you...?"

He was so disoriented by all that had just occurred that he couldn't even finish his question, as his eyes remained locked on the young sorceress.

Rinoa noticed him standing beside her and quickly shook off her state of mind as she turned toward him. The look in Squall's eyes – the amount of uncertainty and confusion, a source of unease for her as she dropped her head at the sight. She now knew she had no other option but to explain. Squall had just seen for himself the very thing she had previously been so conflicted about sharing with him – and she was overcome with great discomfort at the whole scenario as she closed her eyes, grabbing her pendant once again as she held it close to her. Though she had intended to tell him anyway, and almost had – she had never expected the moment to happen like this. She had just been so worried; so overtaken with terror and panic at something happening to Squall, that she had taken the first action that came to her mind. Now, although she was extremely grateful he was alright – that they both were alright…she wasn't so sure she could easily explain anymore. His question ringing in her ears, she only grew further troubled by it all. She was at a complete loss for words after what had just happened and she could only stare at the ground in silence.

Squall continue to stare at Rinoa intently – his stance, and expression, clearly anticipating a response from the quiet girl as he stood there, waiting. Despite her lowered head, he still caught a glimpse of her face – the indecision, the restraint she bore for reasons he couldn't quite understand. What was wrong with her? He had only asked a simple question. It wasn't like he was trying to reprimand her or anything. Why was she seemingly so timid in his presence all of a sudden?

However, it was these very thoughts that suddenly brought up a brief recollection of recent events – and he recalled the moment he had yelled at her when she had refused to flee and leave him behind. Instantly, he felt a vast feeling of remorse come over him at the memory as he closed his eyes – dropping his head onto his palm and shaking his head one more time.

He looked at Rinoa again – her head still directed towards the ground as he sighed to himself at the whole ordeal.

"…Are you okay?" he asked, the regret he felt clear in his voice.

Rinoa didn't reply as she sighed lightly, merely nodding her head in response to his question as she kept staring at the ground.

"That's what I tried to tell you," she said, mumbled, "The reason I'm here, that sound you heard…that spell…"

She slowly stood up straight again as her eyes met Squall's – a blank expression on the SeeD's face as he looked at her in question. She tried to relax enough to tell him easier as she took a deep breath, regaining her composure fully now as she finally released the right words.

"…I'm still a sorceress, Squall."

"…What?" he asked, uncertain if he'd truly heard correctly. His tone was calm, yet bore a hint of surprise, as his expression revealed a look of complete bafflement by this news.

Rinoa looked down at the ground again at his reaction as she continued with her explanation.

"My powers weren't gone – they were just suppressed," she explained, "That's why I was so unsure before. I'm sorry if you think I lied to you. That wasn't my intention."

She shook her head as she spoke those last few words as she was briefly overcome with guilt - afraid to look at him again as the fear of his reaction crept back up on her for a moment. She fought back such unsettling emotions, however – taking a few deep breaths in attempt to quickly recollect herself as she tried to continue.

"But, I'm telling you the truth for sure this time," she claimed, "I still have all of my powers. Not only that, I have more control over them now, too. And, while I still don't quite understand it myself…I'm not questioning it either."

Squall turned his head away a little as he thought to himself on her words, his eyes scrolling from Rinoa to the ground as he took it all in for a moment – everything she was saying. When he really considered it, it did make sense in a way – all that had happened since he'd come here playing over again in his mind. Despite his shred of lingering confusion, it still answered all of the questions he had only minutes ago been struggling to comprehend – and he felt a slight sense of relief towards the matter as a faint smile formed on his face.

However, despite this fact, he still couldn't help but question the situation either. He wanted to be happy for her. He was, in fact. But, at the same time, if what she had said was indeed true - that her powers had been suppressed – his mind could only stand to wonder: how? Why? He thought back to his confrontation with Laguna – and then further back to the moment when he had discovered the puncture wound on Rinoa's shoulder, as his mind was immediately swarmed with questions once again. Was this still Odine's work? Had he intended to take Rinoa's power, but his attempts somehow failed? He wanted to believe that was true…but, then how would that explain her sudden increase in power? If the doctor really had nefarious intentions for her, it was unlikely he would have done something that would have seemingly helped her, right? He shook his head at the thought – still so unable to piece it all together. The more things that happened, the less sense it all made somehow. He was so annoyed; frustrated that he could really be so close, and yet still so far from figuring it out.

Rinoa took note of his reaction: the expression of ambiguity – of doubt, evident on his face and the aggravation it all consumed him with. It filled her agitation as her stomach dropped a little and she lowered her head once more. She wanted to believe it was okay; that he was really so understanding and accepting of this news upon hearing it had all been a simple misconception somehow. She had wanted this, after all - she had been so torn up when she thought she had lost them. Though having come off as confused and undecided towards the situation, and her claims that she was okay with it, she had still found herself unable to fully deny that it had left her with a sense of incompletion– a feeling that she had been afraid would never go away. How could Squall not understand that? If she was happy, he was happy. It was all that had ever mattered to him. She tried to hold that thought in her mind as it was what allowed her to face this moment – the apparent tension of the scenario still getting to her a little, however, while she could only hope her thoughts were accurate.

Squall looked at Rinoa again – her nervous stance and reaction immediately filling him with remorse for his actions, or lack thereof, so far. It was obvious that she had told him this in confidence – thinking; hoping he would come to terms with the situation, despite its unexpectedness, and show her the same support he had previously. He hadn't meant to upset her; make her feel she'd been wrong to tell him. He was just so confused, uncertain of whether or not to view this with relief or worry. He could tell she wanted to be happy – and he wanted her to be, too. He just couldn't shake the sense that something was amiss. Something about it all just didn't fit in his mind, try as he did to make it.

"…I don't get it." he said.

Rinoa closed her eyes for a moment as she exhaled lightly before looking up at him one more time.

"I don't know how this happened either…" she said, in a hushed tone, trying to ease her anxiety, "But, I also don't care."

She shook her head faintly this time as she now stood straight again - her eyes locking on Squall's intently as she spoke again; the confirmation – the certainty in her voice, unmistakable to the young Commander as she spoke again.

"This is what I want. I'm sure of it," she stated, "I don't have to be so afraid of them anymore – and I've waited all this time for that feeling."

"_Rinoa…" _Squall thought, compassionately, his eyes still keenly fixated on the sorceress.

He could sigh lightly as he looked away again – a mixed blend of further regret, and content, overcoming him as he thought to himself. What should he say in a moment like this? How exactly was he expected to respond? This situation: comforting, in a sense, but still so bizarre given prior events. He wanted to say he understood, but still being so overwhelmed with conflict towards the matter…he couldn't find the words as he continued to stand there in silence, contemplating it all profoundly.

Although still troubled by what she felt to be disbelief from the SeeD, Rinoa could not take the silence that had fallen upon them. Gaining the courage, she slowly, and carefully, approached him – the nervousness she felt towards the predicament hinted on her face, but she did her best to conceal it.

"Squall…?" she asked, softly, her timidity still a bit evident in her voice.

Her voice attracted the brunette's attention as he turned his head back in her direction – their eyes meeting instantly once again as he looked at her closely. She appeared so sad, yet her eyes still revealed the gratitude she felt towards it all; the comfort it presented her and the joy she wanted to express. The sight only made him feel worse – knowing that he was partly to blame for her inner turmoil. It wasn't like he was trying to create any awkward tension or discomfort though. Truthfully, he wanted to see her smile in regards to everything. Why shouldn't she? He couldn't even begin to imagine the situation from her perspective, after all – and it was obvious his actions thus far had been anything but what she had desired. He wanted to empathize with her – he just couldn't bring himself to easily warm up to the matter given the circumstances up to this point.

Still, despite his reservations, he couldn't stand to see her disappointed - especially if he himself caused it. There had been enough stress and tension in his life lately and he couldn't bear to deal with more. Right now, all he cared about was Rinoa; that she was content and could feel comfortable knowing he was there for her – as he always was. Quickly unable to bear the sight of her in such a state any longer, he set his concerns and hesitations aside – brushing off any negative notions on his mind as he looked at her apologetically.

"…I'm sorry," he said, in a low voice, "I'm happy for you, Rinoa. I am."

Rinoa looked at him closely for a moment – the hint of doubt she was still burdened by showing faintly in her eyes. In attempt to reassure her, Squall forced a light smile for her sake. Seeing this, the young sorceress's troubles were lifted enough and she nodded – immediately proceeding to slowly fall into him as they embraced each other. Though it was a peaceful moment between them, Rinoa immediately getting lost in the comfort of Squall's arms once again – the SeeD's mind was elsewhere. His thoughts continued to whirl in his head rapidly as he couldn't help but ponder them all over again – still doing all he could to try and make sense of everything they had been faced with lately. It drove him crazy with undying confusion and doubt - the affliction that the whole chain of events had provided him reflected clearly in his eyes as he held Rinoa close to him. Like the others, he could only hope that, somehow soon…everything would finally fall together.

***Author's Note* - Here you go! MUCH longer chapter to...at least try and make up for my long delay. No excuses for it. However, before you ask questions, let me clear one thing up for you: Rinoa. If Edea can pass on her powers and not realize it, Rinoa can have hers suppressed and not realize it - or, so I figure makes sense. She is inexperienced after all.**


	16. Crisis

**Phenomenon**

**Crisis**

"This is it!" Laguna said loudly, "These are Odine's notes on his latest experiment."

Kiros and Ward immediately ran up beside him and they all stared at the sheets for a moment. Ward grunted at the sight, inciting a nod from Kiros before he turned his attention back to Laguna.

"What's it say?" he asked.

"Hold on a sec." Laguna replied, going through the notes alone. He stared at them intently, completely absorbed by the information; he began mumbling to himself while reading. Though his words were hard to understand, Kiros was still able to make out some of them.

"…subject unresponsive…chemical process…twenty-four hours…"

The words from Laguna's mouth sent an unsettling feeling through Kiros; he looked from the notes to the president in a bit of trepidation.

Laguna lifted his head from the paper, perplexed by what he had just read, before continuing to study it a little further.

"…I think I get it, but…it seems incomplete somehow. This can't be all there is." he said.

"Maybe there's something in here." Kiros replied, walking over to Odine's computer. He turned it on, and an odd screen appeared – a circular radar with what appeared to be a search bar beside it. He stared at the sight, contemplating what to do next as Ward and Laguna joined him.

"So…what now?" Laguna asked, glancing from the screen to Kiros.

Kiros didn't reply for a moment as he kept thinking to himself, an idea finally forming in his mind seconds later.

"Hmm…" he mumbled, "Let's try restoring the last session. Odine hasn't used this since a few days ago, so it's worth a shot."

He quickly typed in a series of numbers on the keyboard, filling up the empty bar on the screen, and hit enter. Right away, the radar began searching rapidly for the desired information. The three men watched impatiently, hoping for something to pop up.

Seconds later, the screen went black and a loading bar appeared, quickly filling up as Laguna and his friends' impatience grew to anxiety. Upon completion, the bar began to blink before another window appeared – the very screen they desired showing up before their eyes and they looked at it in delight, and a bit of surprise.

"Whaddya' know?" Laguna said, touching the back of his head, "I thought Odine would keep his files a little more secure than that."

Kiros emitted a light scoff under his breath while he continued to study the screen.

"He may be intelligent, but he's also careless," he muttered, "Fortunately for us, it seems to have worked to our advantage this time. I think I've found what we're looking for – and it doesn't sound very good."

"Where?!" Laguna asked excitedly, leaning closer to the screen.

Kiros pointed to a specific bit of information located at the bottom right of the monitor.

"There. See?"

Laguna leaned in even further as he read over the data carefully. Suddenly, his eyes got wide as he froze upon finishing. He stared at the screen with a look of shock and terror on his face.

"W-what?" he shouted.

Ward waved his arms in a panic, grunting loudly in shock and horror at what he had read.

"What does that mean?" Laguna asked, turning towards Kiros, "What good will _that_ do for them?"

"I don't know," Kiros shrugged, "The statistics seem rather vague, so we can't really conclude too much from them."

He turned toward the president. The latter was still in an alarmed state as he continued to stare at the data with a horrified and confused expression.

"At least we've got something now though," he said, a bit hastily, "We should relay this information to Squall as soon as possible. If that's really what they plan on doing…I have a feeling we're on limited time."

Laguna sighed to himself at those words before regaining his composure. He turned toward Kiros, glancing from him to Ward and back, then nodded in agreement. Though he still couldn't quite grasp the concept behind Odine and Galbadia's intentions, just knowing they included Rinoa was more than enough to compel him to take action. Seeing that he viewed the gentle sorceress as a second daughter, he was unhesitant to act when she was in danger - especially at this level. Odine had officially taken things too far with this experiment, and he was somewhat angered by the mere thought of Rinoa succumbing to such a thing – mostly due to it being as senseless as it was. Of all the things the conniving doctor had done over the years, good and bad…this was by far the most hardhearted thing yet in his mind. There was no way he was going to let the insensible man get away with this one.

"Right," he said, "Let's get back to the Palace on the double!"

He put the papers with Odine's notes in his pocket before quickly turning towards the exit, immediately proceeding to rush out of the lab with Kiros and Ward following closely behind.

* * *

Quistis and Nida were at the young headmaster's desk, deeply engaged in conversation on the current matters once again. Though relieved to have learned of Rinoa's recovery, and Laguna's innocence in her previously debilitated state, they were still burdened by thoughts of Galbadia's mysterious intentions. They had gone over every possible scenario by now – using their personal experience from the prior year to try and deduce the country's desires and Rinoa's potential role in it all – but in the end…nothing even remotely logical could be perceived. It was especially troubling to Quistis, and she was beginning to stress a little – more than before. With no word yet from Laguna, she could only continue to hope something would come up soon.

She leaned forward onto her desk, dropping her head onto her hands as she shook her head and sighed.

"Why is this all happening anyway?" she fretted, "Things were just fine and all of a sudden Galbadia starts stirring up trouble for no reason? It doesn't add up."

"It's okay, Quistis, we'll figure this out," Nida said, "We've still got time and Laguna is helping us. He's got access to all sorts of resources to collect information. We have no reason to worry. We'll probably be hearing from him anytime now."

Quistis could only sigh again at his words as she sat back in her seat, slumping a little as she folded her arms. Though it was nice Nida was so optimistic, she just couldn't bring herself to cave into it this time – despite how much she wanted to. Even with everything that had happened to them over the past few days, they were still no closer to the truth – and it only succeeded in making her more confused and restless. She was responsible for Garden and the safety of its students and she wanted the reassurance that she could protect them – but how could she, when she still had no idea exactly what they were up against? They had fared well enough last year, but it had also been a close call – even with their knowledge of the country's intentions. This time, however, things were different. She wanted to believe it would be okay, but it was still so hard to be certain of anything right now.

"That's not what bothers me, really," she mumbled, shaking her head while she stared down at her lap, "Galbadia has never been subtle about their intentions. They've always acted right away. For some reason, they're silent this time. Why? I don't get it. They got Rinoa. What are they waiting for?"

Nida glanced down towards the floor at her words as he sighed lightly to himself.

"…I don't know," he said quietly, shrugging a little, "But we've got to keep trying. Maybe there's something we've missed somehow."

His words piqued the blonde's interest, yet she felt doubtful. She looked at him closely, tipping her head in question at such a notion.

"Like what?" she asked, "We've thought of everything by now."

"Well, I…I can't really be sure," Nida replied, "It's just a thought I had. Anything is possible with Galbadia, after all."

Quistis thought on his words for a moment and realized he was right, nodding her head lightly in agreement. Of course, it was that very thing that made her so distraught over the matter. They knew the strength of the Galbadian Army - and, by now, they were also familiar with its tactics: the way they thought, the way they fought, and their determination. They were ruthless and relentless when they wanted something – and as such, they would not hesitate to take any action they felt necessary to accomplish their goal. Thoughts like these were all the more reason for her to worry, and further wonder: why Rinoa? It really only made sense when one considered her powers. Then again, at the same time, that was what made it so questionable. Though her potential was evident, she wouldn't yield much use to them due to her inexperience. She would certainly never assist them willingly, especially if they intended to target Balamb. Yet, with such concepts in mind, there were only so many reasons why they would have seen fit to get her involved. It was a sickening and horrifying thought to imagine what they could possibly intend to do with her. It sent a slight chill down her spine as Quistis sat her in her chair, contemplating it all.

Nida took note of her obvious discomfort, and unease – looking at her with an unsettled and concerned expression.

"Quistis? Are you okay?" he asked.

Quistis shook her head lightly in response, taking a deep breath in attempt to relax. Now wasn't the time for doubts or hesitations, hard as it was to block them out. Though her nerves racked a little at thoughts of Galbadia and their secret motives and goals, she couldn't afford to let it get to her right now. It wasn't that she doubted the potential of Garden or SeeD. She really did want to believe things would be okay, and, for the most part, she did. It was reassuring when she remembered that Laguna was still on their side, and they had all of SeeD and Esthar's forces to fall back on. Not to mention, they also had Squall. His leadership, courage, and strategic mindset were extremely valuable assets in the face of any threat. With all of these facts evident before her, she really had very little reason to fret. Everyone was doing their best to uncover Galbadia's motives and intentions – and she was expected to do her part as well.

Still, there was that lingering concern, nonetheless. Like Squall had said: without sufficient information, they didn't know how to act or how to prepare. She hated how these thoughts pestered her, but she also wasn't naïve enough to overlook them completely.

She glanced up at Nida, the kind SeeD's gentle expression filling her with a bit of guilt for her state of mind towards the predicament. In attempt to not seem scared or nervous before him, she forced a light smile, sitting up in her chair as she moved closer to her desk.

"I'm fine," she said, "Once we hear from Laguna, I'll feel better though."

Right on cue, the elevator was heard and Xu stepped into the office, immediately hurrying towards the two. Her haste alarmed Quistis somewhat as she looked at the SeeD's face – her expression bore a look of urgency that only served to reignite the young headmaster's previous dread. She then took a closer look and noticed the SeeD was carrying something in her hand. A look of wonder expanded across the blonde's face as she glanced from the paper to Xu.

"Xu…?" she asked, as she stood up at her desk.

Xu quickly approached Quistis's desk, wasting no time in reacting as she quickly held the paper out to Quistis.

"From Laguna." she said.

"Laguna?" Quistis asked, a tone of relief in her voice as she quickly grabbed the paper from the SeeD. She opened it up and immediately read over it. Xu and Nida glanced from Quistis to the paper while they waited for her to finish. Within seconds, they saw the young headmaster's eyes widen – an apparent expression of horror that sent a brief chill down their spines.

"Quistis…?" Nida asked, a bit of nervousness in his voice, "What is it? What's wrong?"

Quistis looked up from the paper, her eyes glancing from Nida to Xu before she finally spoke.

"They found something in Odine's lab," she explained, "He didn't say what, though. All the note really says is that it's an emergency and he needs to see Squall ASAP."

Her words made the two SeeD's stomachs drop as they looked at each other in alarm before turning their attention back to Quistis. The latter quickly rose from her seat while holding out the note.

"Xu, go and find Squall," she ordered, handing the paper back to her, "Be sure to give this to him when you do."

"No problem," Xu replied, nodding, "I'll see you guys later."

She quickly turned around without another word and headed back to the elevator to begin searching for Squall. Nida turned towards Quistis, taking note of her stance as he looked at her for a moment. She appeared a bit edgy, in the least – her expression bore a look of agitation while she stood there, holding her hand to her cheek and appearing to be thinking about something. Just the sight confused and discomforted him. He wondered if he should interrupt her. However, unable to stand the feeling it gave him, he couldn't refrain for very long.

He turned towards her completely, maintaining a calm stance and expression as he looked at her.

"What do you think they found, exactly?"

Quistis kept staring ahead - her eyes focused on nothing in particular, while endless thoughts of every possible answer flooded her mind. She closed her eyes, shaking her head lightly as she muttered a response.

"I don't know. Right now…I'll take any information we can get."

She continued to stand there in silence, her eyes still directed straight ahead while her thoughts continued racing through her mind. Whatever Laguna had just discovered, she could only hope things were about to turn around. All the while, she was unable to shake the churning feeling in her stomach from his note. From the moment she had read it, she didn't know why…but, she had a hunch something was very wrong. She just didn't know exactly how much so.

* * *

Squall sat alone a bench, forehead in hand, as he thought to himself about everything yet again. His last conversation with Rinoa was at the front of his mind. No matter how many times he tried to wrap his mind around the concept, he just couldn't bring himself any closer to figuring it out. Somehow, it seemed that the more things happened…the harder it became to understand everything – a fact that greatly confused, and annoyed, the SeeD.

Rinoa's situation remained the most troubling matter of all, however, as he dwelled on the memory of their recent encounter for another moment. What exactly was going on there? Could Odine really have intended to give Rinoa better control over her powers all along? If so, what exactly would he gain from such? Knowing the doctor as well as he did by now, it was completely against the man's persona to do something that would not benefit him personally in any way. There were only so many reasons why he would possibly target her, especially so suddenly - suppressing her powers and deliberately forcing her into a comatose state, only for her to awaken even better than before…and with no apparent side-effects. Every fiber of his being told him there was something more to it all…but, without a clear indication as to any sinister intentions, he couldn't even attempt to imagine what it could be. He just knew for certain that something about the whole situation didn't feel right – an odd sense of doubt and disbelief pulled at him to no end. He just couldn't shake it, however much he might have tried.

While he continued to sit there, lost in his own thoughts once again, he heard a voice call to him.

"S'up, Squall?"

The brunette slowly lifted his head to see Zell standing in front of him, a faint expression of curiosity on his face as he stared down at the young Commander.

Squall dropped his head again at the sight of the blond, rather reluctant to be in anyone's company right now.

"_Now what?"_ he thought, his frustrations only increasing now. Why did this keep happening? It seemed people saw fit to approach him at the worst times – Zell, most of all. Much like Rinoa, he had a rather annoying knack for butting into other people's business – and usually for no other reason than sheer curiosity, effectively labeling him a bit of a pest in the brunette's mind. Given their previous encounter, he could only imagine what _this_ confrontation was about.

Zell continued staring down at Squall for another moment as he studied the SeeD's reaction. His expression soon changed to one of perplexity.

"Are you okay, man?" he asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

Squall merely sighed in response.

"What do you want?"

Zell jumped a little at his words, a bit surprised by his attitude as he touched the back of his head in discomfort.

"Uh…well..." he stuttered, "I, uh…I just saw you and thought I'd check up. That's all, really."

The brunette shook his head lightly at those words, further expressing his annoyance with the blond. It was just as he'd figured: Zell had no real incentive for bugging him other than to pry – satisfying his own interest at the expense of another's content. Though he knew the nosy SeeD meant well, he was still rather displeased that this moment had indeed been rather pointless. Why couldn't anyone just ever let him be? That was really the only thing he ever asked for. He didn't go around poking into their business, so likewise…he couldn't understand why they saw fit to meddle in his.

"…I'm fine," he mumbled, a bit curtly, "I just want to be alone right now, okay?"

"Geez, Squall," Zell replied, rather offended by the brunette's rebuff, "It was a simple question. Lighten up, will ya? What's your problem?"

Squall sighed again, this time in spite of himself, as he kept his head directed towards the floor. Zell had a point, really. Truthfully, he wasn't trying to be rude or push anyone away. There was just so much going on - an endless stream of unexplainable events that he was stressing himself over, trying to put it all together in hopes of finally making sense of things somehow. He didn't want to think about it – he hated that it was all his mind could seem to focus on lately. But, at the same time…how could he not? Between Galbadia and Odine's alliance and their undetermined intentions, along with Rinoa's mysterious purpose in it all – he really couldn't afford to put it to rest. If anything were to happen to Garden, or SeeD, it was all on him. And if anything happened to Rinoa…he could never forgive himself. Just the thought of what Odine could possibly intend for her, filled him with perpetual anxiety, apprehension… and anger. He had sworn his life to protecting her at any and all costs – but how could he do that if he didn't know what he was up against this time? The amount of pressure he felt towards the whole predicament was more than he could stand to admit. Though grateful for Laguna's newfound help, he also wasn't holding his breath for a report any time soon. The man wasn't exactly the sharpest tack in the box – especially when it came to serious matters. Until he could piece together this massive and complicated puzzle, he just couldn't bring himself to relax, even a little.

He lifted his head toward Zell slowly, the blond still staring back at him with a hint of anger on his face. Squall slowly rose to his feet – standing face to face with him, a look of apology soon swept over his face.

"…Sorry," he said quietly, "I've just got a lot on my mind still. Don't take it personally."

Zell looked at him intently for a moment, seemingly unwilling to so easily brush off the brunette's abrupt behavior. However, knowing Squall as he did by now, he quickly realized there was no point in dwelling on the matter – one reason being that he didn't want to irk him any further. Though his blunt attitude made him come off rather unkind at times, he was never intentionally rude to his peers. It was just how he was; his quiet and secluded persona usually resulted in him occasionally offending others before he realized such, but he never meant anything by it. Besides, he had just expressed his regrets, officially confirming that he had indeed acknowledged his conduct towards a friend. Knowing that, why let it get to him? It was just typical Squall; some things just didn't change.

He nodded lightly in understanding, a smirk forming at the edge of his mouth as he elicited a faint nod to his young superior.

"Yeah. Sure…" he said softly.

"Squall!" a voice hollered.

The two SeeD's immediately turned their heads in the direction of the voice to see Xu running toward them. Watching her move with such haste, and the expression she bore, it was clear she had news of utmost importance – and he could only imagine what about as he was overcome with a conflicting sense of dread and hope. What exactly were the chances he would actually like the information that awaited him this time?

Despite such thoughts, however, he tried to conceal such hesitations, staring towards her intently as she approached.

"Xu…?" he asked.

"I've been looking for you everywhere." she said, as she came to a stop.

Squall tipped his head in question and curiosity at her words as Xu quickly reached into her pocket, pulling out a folded piece of paper and immediately proceeding to hold it toward him.

"This just came for you - from Laguna," she stated, "He didn't explain what it was about, but he says it's urgent."

Squall's eyes widened at the mention of Laguna's name and he quickly reached for the paper without a word, practically snatching it from her hand as he began to unfold it. Upon opening it fully, his eyes immediately glued to the message it bore and he quickly skimmed through the lines of text – though still slowly enough to take it in properly. He lifted his head again only seconds later - the first words out of his mouth leaving both Xu and Zell a bit disoriented as he now acted in haste.

"I have to go."

Without saying anything else, he immediately dashed off in the direction of the Ragnarok. The two SeeDs watched him in question and alarm as he ran the fastest they'd ever seen him move.

"Squall, where are you going?" Zell hollered.

"I'll be back later," he yelled, "Just look after Rinoa!"

The blond was further puzzled by the brunette's words as he stared toward him, only able to say one thing – his words seemed to be formed out of shock from the SeeD's sudden actions.

"Where is she?" he shouted.

Squall didn't reply, however, as he was now too far away to hear anything before finally running out of sight.

Zell sighed in frustration as he scratched his head in wonder.

"...Rinoa?" he repeated, "The hell's goin' on? What did that note say?"

Much to his dismay, Xu didn't respond either as she, too, walked away now, leaving Zell alone and lost in an endless swirl of thoughts. It was now the second time he'd seen any kind of erratic behavior from Squall - both within mere days of each other – and the sight of him moving at such haste, along with his odd last words, only served to disturbed Zell greatly as he thought hard to himself. It was just another moment where he felt nothing but utter confusion and a bit of anger from being left out of the loop yet again. What was with the apparent secrecy? Why did Squall still seem so intent to deal with this on his own? Zell could only grumble to himself at the whole scenario as he slouched forward, dropping his head and exhaling in frustration. Hating to let it go just like that, but seeing he had no other option, he finally complied, recalling Squall's final words to him one last time. Despite his personal thoughts towards the matter, for now, all he could really do was respect the SeeD's wishes and follow the orders he'd been given. Squall had currently left Rinoa in his care – and, knowing the brunette as he did by now, Zell knew better than to disobey any commands from him – especially if they pertained to the young sorceress.

"…Whatever, man…" he sighed, shaking his head in reluctance.

He slowly stood up straight again, his eyes fixating ahead for a moment, before he finally turned around and headed off to look for Rinoa.

* * *

Deling sat alone in his office, an eerily calm, confident expression on his face as he appeared to be waiting for someone – or something. It had been a good fifteen minutes, at least, since the summoning. Though he was getting a bit restless – impatient, even – he didn't let it show too much.

Finally, he heard a knock on his door, a grin forming on his face; he knew immediately whom it was.

"Come in." he said, with a composed tone.

The door opened and General Caraway silently entered. He had a look of confusion – and a bit of annoyance – on his face, clearly expressing his reluctance to be in the presence of a man he so despised. Honestly, Caraway couldn't imagine why he would have been called in anymore after their previous falling out, but he also wasn't too willing to speak with a man who had seen fit to make threats towards him. The whole situation seemed a bit suspicious, as usual, and for a moment, he wondered why he had even bothered to come at all.

Deling simply ignored his expression as he proceeded to greet Caraway in a rather relaxed and formal manner.

"Thank you for coming, Commander." he said.

Caraway didn't respond, keeping a straight face as he stared at Deling intently, the disdain he still harbored towards the president evident in his eyes. Deling remained unalarmed by such a sight, however, and he wasted no time in speaking of the matter at hand as he stood up from his chair.

"First off, allow me to apologize, wholeheartedly," he said, "We left off on rather…shameful terms, if I may say so."

"What do you want?" Caraway asked abruptly.

Deling scoffed lightly under his breath at his words while a smirk formed at the edge of his mouth. He slowly moved from his spot behind the desk, walking around the side as he approached Caraway.

"Your assistance, Commander." he said cunningly.

Caraway was surprised and baffled by such words as he looked at the young president.

"You see, with our plans nearing completion, our final preparations have begun," he explained, "…And someone's got to lead the Galbadian Army when the time comes."

"…Me?" Caraway asked, only further perplexed by the situation – and the president's antics.

Deling merely nodded in response.

"Galbadia's time is upon us, I assure you," he said, walking around Caraway to his other side, "I would like very much for you to partake in our glory."

Caraway closed his eyes – another sense of unease and disgust came over him from Deling's words while he continued to stand there silently, facing ahead. Again, Deling thought nothing of the Caraway's silence, though – he remained completely unfazed by it as he continued speaking.

"You will be rewarded, of course." he coaxed.

Caraway immediately dismissed the notion, scoffing under his breath at the president's endless manipulative attempts. He turned towards him.

"I have no interest in your plans, as I'm sure you've figured out by now," he said, with a tone of contempt, "Whatever your intentions…they are of no concern of mine. I'd advise you to find a more suitable fool – preferably one easily taken in by such avarice as yours. You are only wasting your time with me."

Without another word, he turned around immediately and headed for the door. Just as he was about to reach for the knob, however, he heard Deling's voice again.

"I'm afraid your support in this endeavor is imperative, Commander," he said, "Plus, if you don't help, others will…like your daughter."

Caraway instantly froze in his tracks at that last word, unable to move or speak as his mind stuck on what Deling had just said for a moment. Had he really heard that right? He wanted to believe he was mistaken – that he had imagined it somehow – but a strong feeling from his gut told him otherwise and he found himself slowly turning back toward Deling. He eyed the young president closely, a strangely chilling sensation coming over him as the crafty man stood staring back.

"…Rinoa?" Caraway asked, a bit worriedly.

Deling smirked slyly at Caraway's reaction.

"I trust we have an understanding now, Commander."


	17. True Intentions

**Phenomenon**

**True Intentions**

Squall made haste to Esthar, the massive airship traveling faster than it ever had, the SeeD's immense determination driven by his worry, and curiosity, of what Laguna may have uncovered. Arriving within fifteen minutes of his departure from Balamb, he quickly landed the Ragnarok atop the Esthar airstation – thoughts of Rinoa, again, flooded his mind as he wasted no time in heading for the Presidental Palace. His heart raced as he moved at a rapid pace; the heavy thumping in his chest practically drowning out the voices of Esthar civilians while he stared straight ahead towards his destination. He was relieved and nervous at the same time. This was the moment he'd been waiting for - he could feel it. While he couldn't be entirely certain of what Laguna had found, the urgency in the president's note had been more than enough for the brunette. Whatever news awaited him, good or bad, they'd finally have the information they'd desired the last few days - they could prepare themselves for anything Galbadia was planning and might throw at them next; and, most of all, he may even finally find out what they wanted with Rinoa…and put an end to it - put an end to it all, here and now. These thoughts compelled him forward as he moved faster through the busy streets of Esthar now, soon coming up on the enormous Palace as he rushed inside.

* * *

"Yes, that's right," Laguna said into the phone, "This is a potentially dire situation. We need to be ready for anything; stand by for further instructions."

He hung up the phone and dropped it to his side, staring down at it for a moment before lifting his head toward the window. He hated to rile up the Esthar forces and get them involved in a matter that he couldn't be certain even concerned them - his guilt was getting to him as he stood there staring outside from his massive office. Nevertheless, if what they believed Odine was up to was truly the case, he couldn't take any chances. Rinoa was in danger – he was certain of that. It was all the motive he needed.

"_Just what are you planning this time, Odine?" _he thought, a faint expression of anger spreading across his face.

Suddenly, he heard the door to his office open and turned his head immediately to find Squall hurrying in.

"Squall!" Laguna said, in a loud, relieved voice, "There you are."

"What happened?" Squall asked, jogging across the room toward the elder man.

He instantly stopped upon reaching Laguna's desk, an expression of anxiety, and hope, evident on his face.

"What did you find out?" he asked, hastily.

Laguna stared at him in silence for a moment. The SeeD's eyes were full of worry and determination as he stood there, staring back at the president intently. The very sight made Laguna realize exactly how much this whole situation had affected Squall - how much the boy truly cared about Rinoa - and it caused the president to choke up on his words. However, he had to overcome his hesitations. They had all been waiting for this information - Squall especially. While they still didn't know the full details of Galbadia's intentions, they had acquired enough to know that things were certainly bigger than they ever could have imagined.

Laguna took a quick breath, keeping his eyes on Squall before speaking.

"Before we get into that, how is Rinoa doing?" he asked.

Squall cocked his head in wonder as he continued staring back at Laguna with a perplexed expression, more so from the timing than the actual question. The look on the president's face sent a brief feeling of unease through the brunette's body as he glanced from the elder man, to Kiros and Ward.

Upon turning his attention back to Laguna, he folded his arms and closed his eyes, thinking back to all that had happened at Garden over the last few hours. It still troubled him just as much as before to recall it now. What exactly could he say? How did he answer a question that he didn't really have a clear answer _for_? He was still so confused by everything that was going on, Rinoa's situation still the most disturbing of all. He wanted to be sure, wanted to say she was alright and everything was fine. But, how could he, given the circumstances? Nothing was as it had seemed lately, after all. He would probably just be lying to himself, and to Laguna, if he were to say such a thing. After everything he'd been through in his life, he just wasn't that naïve.

He looked at Laguna again, the president still staring at him as he awaited some kind of response. Just to get out of the uncomfortable situation, and proceed with the real matter, Squall said the first thing that came to his mind - the only thing he really could say in regards to such uncertainty.

"She seems fine," he said, in a low voice, "She has recovered, and she appears to be doing better than before."

Laguna thought on that answer for a moment as he fell silent. He stood staring down at his desk with his chin rested between his thumb and index finger when another question soon emerged from his mouth, this one no less puzzling, or troubling, for the SeeD as he spoke in a nervous manner.

"Has anything…weird happened to her lately? Has she done anything unusual, or that you can't explain?"

His strange questions now sparked a vastly unsettling feeling within Squall, overwhelming the brunette in an instant as his previous anxieties quickly turned into dread, and a bit of apprehension.

He closed his eyes as he recalled recent encounters with Rinoa once again. There had been a few strange instances with her, but nothing too out of the ordinary really. What kind of answer was Laguna looking for exactly? Why was he even asking about such things in the first place? This whole encounter was beyond what he had anticipated, and aside from the concerns he now held in regards to it, he was also getting rather annoyed – not only from Laguna's bizarre questions, but the whole situation in general.

He let out a sigh, grumbling lightly to himself from his frustrations before finally speaking again.

"…Not really," he muttered, folding his arms, "She mentioned something about how she had more control over her powers, but aside from that…"

An alarmed expression quickly expanded across Laguna's face at those words as he glanced toward Kiros and Ward, the two presidential aides exchanging similar expressions before looking back at him. Their faces dropped as they nodded faintly - the confirmation they needed finally presenting itself. This silent exchange didn't go unnoticed by Squall, however, immediately piquing his curiosity, and concern, as he glanced back and forth between them.

"_What's going on here?"_ he thought to himself, "What are you not saying? Just tell me already."

Laguna retracted his attention back to Squall, both staring at each other again as hesitation rapidly overcame the president once more. He really didn't want to say it. He couldn't. His mind was completely fazed by thoughts of how the SeeD would react when he finally found out. Just the thought of it got to him and he choked on his words once again, sighing as he glanced towards the floor.

He slowly lifted his head back towards Squall after a moment and studied the SeeD's face keenly – the expression in the teen's eyes: the sheer determination he harbored, and the worry he tried hard to conceal – both burning clearer than ever as he stood there, staring silently back at the elder man in great anticipation of an answer. The sight of such let Laguna know there was no backing out of it, no matter what reservations he held, and he could only shake his head lightly at the whole scenario as he sighed.

He opened a drawer in his desk and carefully took out a few sheets of paper. He held them up to his face for Squall to see before dropping them onto his desk. Squall stared down at the papers before glancing at Laguna again in question, the latter merely responding with a light nod. The SeeD was only further confused now as he slowly reached for the documents, taking them in his hand as he began reading over them.

Only seconds into his review of the files, a baffled expression formed on his face – the SeeD seemingly unable to understand the odd report before him. It was a reaction Laguna knew all too well as he looked at Squall intently, waiting for the SeeD to finish reading.

Squall looked up from the papers with the same expression still on his face, his next words as expected from the president.

"…I don't get it."

Laguna couldn't help but emit a faint laugh under his breath.

"Yeah, we really didn't either at first," he stated, "We thought it was just some incoherent writing by Odine, until we got access to his computer. The data we found wasn't much clearer, but it did give us better insight, nonetheless."

Squall tipped his head in wonder at Laguna's words, curiosity getting the best of him as his eyes fixed keenly on the elder man.

"What kind of data?" he asked.

Laguna didn't respond, instead, turning his head towards Kiros. The tall, slender man immediately recognized what the president's notion implied and stepped forward as he began to explain.

"It was a massive calculation consisting of equations all relating to some kind of chemical formula. Most of them were hard to decipher, but we did manage to deduce one specific detail…"

"The formula for a powerful stimulant." Laguna finished.

Squall glanced back and forth between the three men before shaking his head faintly, a clear indication of his puzzlement as he could only mutter one word.

"…Stimulant?" he asked.

"It's a drug designed to enhance the performance of the subject. Basically, make them stronger," Laguna explained, "That's what Odine injected Rinoa with. We're sure of it. We're just not sure why."

Squall thought to himself for a moment, only confused on the whole ordeal even further now. If what he was hearing was true, Odine's intention all along was to make Rinoa stronger? Why? What good would that do for them? He had been so certain there had to be some malevolent intentions behind his actions, but he didn't know what to make of the scenario now. Things were only getting stranger with every minute that passed, every word that emerged in this conversation, and he was still no wiser to the truth. Just when he thought he might get things solved, the mystery only grew bigger – something that left him rather surprised, and displeased.

Thinking harder on Laguna's words now, he was suddenly filled with a heavy sense of dread and apprehension towards the matter. His mind boggled and his whole body nearly stiffened at the ominous feeling this conversation was beginning to provide him. He had come here expecting good news, relief from the endless chain of fear and stress they'd endured the last few days, but now…things appeared to be taking a drastic turn that completely counteracted such intentions. For a moment, he wasn't sure he wanted to know what was going on anymore - fear overtaking him briefly before he quickly shook it off. This was no time for doubts or hesitations of any kind. Whatever awaited him, he was willing to accept it. He was doing this for Rinoa, first and foremost, and that was all the incentive he needed.

As he continued standing there in silence, one specific thought rose to the front of his mind above all the others: one realization that, alone, stood to completely baffle his mind as he looked at Laguna again.

"This doesn't make any sense," he said, "If it was supposed to enhance Rinoa's power and make her stronger, then why did she end up falling unconscious instead? She was out for nearly a day."

Laguna's head dropped for a moment as he said next words.

"…Yeah. That was the one detail that got us, "he admitted, "I never knew Odine to take such extreme measures. But, it's all right there in the report."

He nodded toward the papers in Squall's hands, prompting the SeeD to immediately direct his attention to the files again. He stared down at them and proceeded to skim over the page once more. Laguna folded his arms lightly, his eyes fixed on Squall as he elaborated on Odine's notes in attempt to paint a clearer picture of the scenario.

"Due to Rinoa's immense power, Odine probably needed an infusion of chemicals powerful enough to counteract it," he explained, "This probably extended the process, but effectively suppressed her powers. Her body was thrown into a comatose-like state so the drug could run its course more easily."

Squall folded his arms once more upon hearing such an account, unsure of what to make of everything he'd just heard as he became completely lost for words. He was overcome with conflicting views on the situation. He wanted to be mad, but at the same time…how could he really? While he couldn't bring himself to forgive Odine for what he'd done to Rinoa, now…he also couldn't be entirely certain the situation was really all that bad. Was it possible the man could have actually done something good for once in his life? Something about that thought didn't work in his mind; a feeling deep within telling him not to go against his better judgment.

Still, when he looked at the facts before him, it was hard to doubt. Because of the doctor's actions, Rinoa was doing better than before and was even beginning to look at her new life in a brighter way. She was happy…and that was all he cared about. Despite his personal feelings towards Odine, he at least had to thank him for that. _  
_

He turned his head a little and closed his eyes, a faint smirk of pleasure forming on his mouth.

"So, Rinoa is going to get stronger," he said, "I don't exactly see how that's a problem."

Laguna's face immediately dropped at the brunette's words and he turned his head towards Kiros and Ward again, both men merely shaking their head as they realized Squall was reading the situation the wrong way. They couldn't totally blame him for his response to such an issue, however. Really, they wanted to believe it could be a good thing, too. But, they also knew details that Squall didn't…yet; details that stood to greatly oppose any possible thoughts of relief or hope regarding the matter. Though they hated to crush the SeeD's moment, it was a necessary action.

Laguna sighed in a bit of remorse as he turned his head back towards Squall and folded his arms, momentarily unable to say the words that lingered at the edge of his mouth while he stared down at the floor. He recalled the moment they had made the heart-stopping discovery in Odine's lab, the same chilling feeling he'd felt during that instance quickly resurfacing again as he finally spoke.

"Well, normally it wouldn't be…since the effects are usually temporary."

He paused for a moment, glancing towards the floor again, briefly, before looking back at Squall.

"However, in Rinoa's case, Odine customized the injection so it would not only enhance her powers...but, modify them as well," he stated, "She thinks she's in control right now, but the shot is only in the early stages. As it advances, it will become more dominant, making her even stronger; but, at the cost of control."

Squall's eyes widened at this sudden news, the drastic turn in the conversation completely taking him by surprise and his smile instantly faded.

"He wants to exploit her powers?!" he asked, in a loud, angry, tone. His teeth clenched and he balled his fist as he stared at Laguna with an intense expression, "What the hell is that about? What good will _that_ do for them?"

"I don't know," Laguna answered, shaking his head, "But, Rinoa is already powerful enough. Imagine her potential at that magnitude. There's no telling what could happen. And, she won't be able to stop herself if it does."

Squall shook his head in disgust, unable to believe that he had actually been so foolish. It all made sense now. He knew the kind of person Odine was – that he wasn't one to trust or do anything even remotely pleasing. How could he have allowed himself to overlook that even for a minute? Now understanding the doctor's intentions, he was consumed with anger at the thought of Odine, once again, as he clenched his fist tight at his side. How could the man do such a thing without any remorse or regards towards his actions? What gave him the right to treat others as if they were expendable, and all for sake of his stupid experiments? Did he really have such little value for human life? This episode allowed Squall to see exactly how much of a monster the doctor really was.

His heart thumped heavily in his chest now, worry taking over the SeeD for a moment as thoughts of Rinoa flooded into his mind next. What exactly was going to happen to her? She had no idea of the danger she was in or the monstrous intentions for her and the very thought of such only fueled his anger towards the audacious doctor. A lot of things could be forgiven…but, this wasn't one of them, especially not when it concerned Rinoa. He felt a rush of emotions surmount him as he stood there, taking it all in – all of the pieces of the puzzle formed over the last few days finally coming together in his head in an instant. This was the final straw. Odine was going to pay for his actions…and Squall would see to it himself. It was the only way he could satisfy his undying resent and rage towards the cunning man.

He looked towards Laguna again, the fury that burned within, and the fear he fought to conceal, both reminiscent in the SeeD's eyes as he spoke.

"What do we do?" he asked, "There has to be some way to stop it. I'll do whatever it takes."

Laguna didn't respond, appearing a little distraught as he folded his arms and thought to himself.

"I'm not sure…" he said, "We could try to create a sedative to counter the effects, but that's not entirely guaranteed…and there's no telling how much time we have until the injection starts to take its toll on Rinoa."

"I don't care!" Squall said, loudly, throwing his arm out the side, "I'm not letting that happen. They're not going to get away with this!"

Laguna and Squall locked eyes for a moment, staring at each other intently as the president thought to himself. A heated blend of rage and apprehension flared clearly in the young man's eyes as he stood there; Squall's compulsion and will was stronger than anything Laguna had seen before. There was no room for doubt or hesitation. Squall's mind was made up…and nothing could change it. This realization, combined with the elder man's own intent to see the doctor pay, ultimately made the decision easy. He wanted to help Rinoa, sure…but, as president of Esthar, it was also his responsibility to make sure any wrongdoings were appropriately dealt with…and Odine was of no exception. For the first time in his life, he was going to really enjoy his authority.

These thoughts in mind, he nodded his head at the SeeD in understanding.

"We'll see what can be done, but it may take a while," he said, "A sedative is no less risky than the original injection, especially one to that extent."

Squall closed his eyes again and emitted a heavy sigh under his breath.

"_I know. But…"_ he thought to himself.

Honestly, he hated the thought of injecting Rinoa a second time, especially if he was to be a part of it…but, what else could they do, really? If they didn't act soon, she would be at the mercy of Odine and Galbadia, becoming a puppet of their sinister intentions, whatever they may be…and that thought was far worse to him than any risks involved in another inoculation. Just the thought of the conniving man standing there with that stupid smirk plastered on his face, sent another wave of fury through the SeeD's body. There was no way that was going to let that happen. Rinoa was the most important thing in his life and he'd be damned to watch her be used as some sort of lab rat, especially to that weasel. Odine had finally performed the last experiment he ever would.

He stood silent for a moment, still lost in thought on the whole ordeal. Laguna took note of the teen's reaction and could easily detect what was running through his mind in this particular instance. It was the one time he could recall them sharing a mutual perspective on any matter, and he found himself admiring Squall's immense loyalty and determination. Despite knowing what was at stake, the SeeD was still willing to take any chances he could, any options he was presented in order to shatter Odine's plans and release Rinoa from his clutches – even if it scared him in the long-run to imagine the possibilities if their own plans went awry. As long as she would be safe in the end, it didn't matter what happened along the way.

A faint smile formed at the edge of Laguna's mouth as he looked at Squall for another moment, the SeeD still standing in the same position as the president's voice broke through his thoughts.

"We'll come up with something. Trust me," he assured, "Even a guy like Odine can be easily handled."

He folded his arms, a faint trace of his smirk remnant on his face as Squall looked at him with a blank expression. Laguna's words had struck him oddly and he stared at the man in perplexity and wonder, trying to imagine exactly what he could mean.

"In the meantime, you just focus on Rinoa," Laguna continued, "Keep a close eye on her at all times. If this progresses far enough…she could easily become a danger to everyone around her."

Squall folded his arms in response to such a statement, reluctant to imagine Rinoa as a threat of any kind…and a bit angered at Laguna for even considering the possibility as he sighed in a bit of exasperation.

"Don't worry, we'll let you know once we've got something arranged," Laguna continued, "It's going to be alright. Rinoa will be fine. I promise."

Squall turned his attention back to Laguna, a straight expression on his face they stared back at each other closely for a moment. Though still somewhat baffled, and a bit suspicious, of the man's prior words, he also knew it ultimately wasn't worth toying with such thoughts. He had bigger things to worry about than trying to wrap his mind around the peculiar words and apparent ramblings of the Estharian president. Right now, Rinoa was his main priority…and he would do everything in his power to save her.

He nodded his head in understanding and compliance before quickly turning around and dashing out of the room without another word, rapidly making route back toward Garden, and Rinoa, once more. Laguna, Kiros and Ward watched intently as he left the room and hurried down the long hallway. The two aids then turned towards the president once the SeeD was out of sight.

"So, what exactly is it that you intend to do?" Kiros asked, "Surely you don't expect Odine to abandon his plans and halt the procedure just because you tell him to. That would be rather foolish of you, I admit."

Laguna quickly dismissed his question and brushed off such skepticism with a scoff. He folded his arms and his previous idea resurfaced in his mind, another smirk forming on his face and he spoke in a confident manner.

"Believe me. If you think Odine is sly…you haven't seen anything yet."

* * *

Sometime later, Zell was still searching for Rinoa as he now headed down the walkway toward the dormitory. He had traversed the entirety of Garden in his pursuit of the sorceress, but even after all this time, his search has proven unsuccessful, and now he was beginning to get rather annoyed, hopeless…and hungry. When he had set off to look for her, he had never imagined it would be this hard, take this long. How did Rinoa possibly disappear so easily? She had only known Balamb Garden for a year now and she seemed to know her way around better than half the students at the school – him included. He was disgruntled, to say the least, at the whole situation; disgruntled…and anxious. What would happen if he didn't find her? What exactly would he tell Squall? While he still didn't understand the logic behind the brunette's orders, he certainly had no intention of disobeying them. If anything happened to Rinoa in Squall's absence, it was all on him. He had to find her soon, but he was running out of ideas…and patience.

Just when he was about to give up altogether, he heard someone shout in the distance and turned his head to see Rinoa in the courtyard. She had her back turned in his direction, completely unaware of his presence in the vicinity as she appeared to be focused on something ahead of her.

"Rinoa! There you are!" Zell hollered.

Rinoa jumped at the sound of her name, quickly turning her head to see blonde coming toward her. A look of surprise, and question, expanded across her face as she watched him approach.

"Zell?" she asked.

"Finally found you!" he cheered, stopping in front of her, "I've been looking everywhere. You know, you're not exactly the easiest person to track down."

Rinoa's face dropped at his words and she fell silent. Her body slumped a little and her eyes retracted from Zell, her attention now focused on the ground as she stared down at it apologetically. Though she was somewhat confused as to why Zell had been looking for her, she also hadn't intended to worry the SeeD or cause him to panic in any way. How many times was she going to do this to people – especially her friends? She had only ever been minding her own business and trying to cope with her new life, but apparently, she didn't know how to do that without creating some kind of tension on everybody. That…or it was just too inexcusable given her disposition, a thought that actually stood to offend her for a moment. Either way, any of her actions, whatever they may be, always managed to cause a stir in some way…whether she intended for such or not.

"Sorry." she said, softly.

Zell took notice of her reaction and realized how he must have come off. Not one to do well in any awkward situation, he immediately brushed off the whole scenario – waving his hand in dismissal.

"It's no big deal," he said, "At least you're alright. What are you doing out here?"

Rinoa smiled at his words as she looked at him again. It was huge relief to her that she had friends that were so understanding and could easily overlook a mistake. If she had to endure the rest of her life as a sorceress, she was glad she had others to rely on and makes things easier for her to adjust. She couldn't have asked to be surrounded by a better group of people.

"I was just…uh…" she said, quietly, turning her head to look behind her. She stared in the direction she had only minutes ago undergone a private training session, thinking hard on what to say as she was quiet for a moment.

Zell looked at Rinoa in wonder at her odd reaction to his question before she turned back toward him again, opting not to mention her prior endeavors to the blonde. The last thing she wanted was to give him another reason to fret, especially given their last session together a few days ago. While Zell may not know that the circumstances had changed since then, she felt it best not to say anything that would leave him wary in her presence. He did have a tendency to overreact to things, after all.

"…Never mind," she said, "Where's Squall?"

Zell scoffed at her words.

"I'd like to know myself," he mumbled, "He had to go somewhere, but he'll be back soon. Don't worry."

Rinoa was puzzled by the SeeD's answer, and a bit upset. Ever since the other day, Squall had been acting much differently than usual, and try as he may have to hide such…he hadn't exactly been as subtle about it as he thought. Despite anything he may have said or done to convince her otherwise, she knew for a fact that there was something he still wasn't telling her…and this moment was further proof of it. Before recently, he hadn't done a thing without telling her beforehand, and in fact, they were rarely out of each other's sight. Now, it seemed as if he was reverting back to his old ways lately, more so with each day that passed: keeping things to himself while refusing to let others in and always going off alone. She didn't understand what was happening with him at all. What exactly was going on that made him feel such actions were necessary? She hated that he was becoming such a puzzle to her once again. It wasn't fair. Not after all of the progress they had made.

She glanced at the ground again, shaking her head at the whole predicament.

"Come on," Zell said, motioning for them to head inside, "It took me so long to find you, he's probably back already."

He turned around and started walking inside, Rinoa sighing hopelessly as she followed. Right now, she was rather reluctant at the thought of meeting up with Squall. He had yet to show any sort of obligation or desire to talk to her about anything lately. What were the chances he'd feel any different this time? Not to mention, she was struggling with her feelings of anger and hurt because of such behavior - especially towards her. While he had shown that he still cared about her, his actions left much to be desired. She wanted to be mad at him for it all, but at the same time…she wasn't sure if she could be. Squall was just being Squall, after all, and some things never changed.

Suddenly, she felt a strange sensation inside of her and leaned over, holding her stomach as it seemed to increase for a moment.

"Huh?" she asked, rather confused by the odd event.

Zell turned back toward her, a look of alarm and question quickly coming over his face at the scene.

"Rinoa?" he asked, holding his hand out as he stepped towards her.

Almost immediately, the feeling dissipated as if it had never happened, the young sorceress even more baffled by the event as she stood there another moment still holding her stomach in a slumped position.

"What's up?" Zell asked, "Are you okay?"

Rinoa waited to respond until she was certain the sensation was really gone. It had been so odd – an experience she'd never had, a feeling she'd never felt before in her life. It was kind of like a stomachache, but unusual and a little more intense – a faint boiling or burning of sorts deep within that seemed to quickly course through her blood. She was startled for a moment, uncertain of what to make of the unexpected occurrence as she looked at Zell.

"…Yeah. I'm fine." she said, a remnant of confusion in her voice.

She took another deep breath to try to relax, carefully removing her hands from her torso as she slowly stood up and placed them back at her side. Zell stared back at her in worry, the same expression of bewilderment evident on his face as he eyed her closely, still not quite convinced by mere words.

Wanting to forget about the bizarre episode altogether, Rinoa nodded lightly at the blond, hoping to sway his doubts on the matter. Really, it was a trivial concern, the way she saw it. There could have been a million reasons for why such a thing happened. There was no point in troubling Zell and herself over one instance. She was fine now. That was all that mattered.

"Let's go." she said calmly.

Zell looked at her for another moment before finally nodding. However, he still harbored feelings of doubt. He turned back in the direction they had been walking and they both started moving forward again.

Almost immediately, however, the sensation returned – that feeling burned faintly inside of her once again and she held her stomach tight, standing in a slumped position again as she whimpered weakly. Unfortunately, the feeling failed to subside this time, instead, beginning to intensify before it quickly overwhelmed her…all the while leaving her further scared and confused by the whole event.

She fought a little harder than before, but her efforts ultimately proved futile. She shook her head as she began to feel herself on the losing end of the battle, the vast power swelling inside easily overtaking the young, inexperienced sorceress. She lifted her head slightly towards Zell, the confusion and fright clear in her eyes. She tried to speak, but was only able to muster up a few words, her voice shot, and her distorted plea going unheard by the SeeD as he kept moving forward, unaware of his friend's strange situation.

"What's happening…? I can't…" she murmured.

By the time Zell noticed Rinoa's condition, it was too late - a burst of fiery light suddenly consumed the blonde before he knew what was going on.

"What the -?!" he hollered, his eyes widening as a startled look immediately came over his face. With no time to react, he could only brace for the impact: he crossed his arms in front of him in a shield-like manner, lowering his head and closing his eyes just seconds before Rinoa's firaga spell reached full potential, exploding in a massive burst of flames. He was knocked backward through the air, and the next thing he knew…everything went black.


	18. Shaken

**Phenomenon**

**Shaken**

"Zell…?" a sudden voice asked.

"You sure…okay? …doesn't…good." another voice noted.

The SeeD remained still, his eyes closed as he tried to figure out whom the voices belonged to. One was feminine – soft and gentle, while the other was heavier and certainly masculine. They both sounded so familiar to him, but for some reason…he couldn't quite recall why. He tried to open his eyes, but struggled to do so. They felt heavy and weak, a fact that left him only further confused by the whole situation. He wondered what was going on, where he was. What had happened to him? He couldn't recall a thing before this moment. Unable to respond to the voice in any way, he could only continue to remain in his position silently.

"This isn't…," the female voice stated, her tone now low, "…worse…thought. He…bad state…found him."

He tried again to open his eyes, but his efforts were futile once more as they still refused to comply. While he still couldn't hear every word, what he could understand had struck him with unsettling feelings of worry and discontent. What did that mean? What was wrong with him exactly? He tried to move or speak, but his lips wouldn't budge, as though they were sealed shut, and his muscles felt stiff for a reason he couldn't begin to imagine.

Again, he tried to gather some recollection, but his mind was only able to provide a faint glimpse of what appeared to be flames rapidly engulfing him. He felt hot all over, almost as if his skin was burning. The sensation, though immensely confusing, and scary, held a sense of familiarity for the SeeD, and he felt a faint numbness cover his body before another voice broke through this eerie reminiscence.

"Yoo-hoo! Zell." The voice was higher pitched than the first two sounded, but with the same gentle tone and an almost child-like impression. It was clearly female, but for the life of him…he just couldn't put a face to it; to any of them. His consciousness continued to improve, however, and his hearing returned completely just in time for him to decipher the next sentence.

"…Maybe we should get Doctor Kadowaki." the mature, female voice suggested.

At that moment, Zell emitted a light groan.

"Hey! I think he's waking up!" the child-like voice cheered.

Zell proceeded to slowly open his eyes, the first thing to greet him being a bright light and what appeared to be a ceiling colored entirely in white. He squinted his eyes from the brightness that shone down on him and carefully lifted his arm to protect his weakened vision. He closed his eyes for a moment, opening them up again to find three blurred faces standing over him.

"Zell? Zell, are you okay?" a female voice asked.

"Zell, can you hear me?" the masculine one followed up.

The blond merely replied with another light groan as he attempted to make out the indistinct sight before him and finally began to distinguish minor details. The person to his right was clearly male - tall, light brown hair, and a cowboy hat atop his head, and beside him – a petite frame with shoulder length hair that curled in an unusual fashion at the end. He then shifted his head slowly to his left and could make out long, blond hair, and a slender figure.

"W…what?" he asked, weakly.

"Oh, you're alright," the blond said, breathing a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness. We were getting worried about you."

Finally, Zell was able to regain his vision completely and saw his three friends, Quistis, Selphie, and Irvine, staring down at him – their faces changing from looks of concern to relief.

Now, fully aware that he was lying down, Zell moved to sit up, carefully lifting his body off his back and slowly going to an upright position. Briefly overcome with dizziness, he dropped his head onto his hand and shook it lightly, closing his eyes tight as he grunted to himself.

"What happened?" he asked, his voice still bearing a hint of weakness.

"Beats me," Quistis answered, folding her arms, "We found you lying on the ground. I've never seen such a sight like it…"

She closed her eyes at those words and her mind flashed back to that moment. It was one more horrible recollection that provided the same apprehension she had felt towards Rinoa the other day. Within mere days of each other, she had now seen two of her friends in such sudden, unexplainable situations, and her body shook from the whole account of when they had discovered Zell in the courtyard: his respiration faint, his clothes torn, ragged, and his skin seared almost completely - his appearance had been nearly unrecognizable. She had seen a lot of devastating sights in her years of military training and experience, but she had still never witnessed anything like _that_ before. It was all still so fresh, the blond unable to shake yet another awful image, and it was only worse when she remembered that their efforts alone had seemingly not been enough. Much to her regret, she had been able to do little more than wait and hope for the best once again.

She dropped her head, her voice and expression suddenly changing to a solemn tone as she muttered her next words.

"You were covered in burns, and weren't responding at all…"

She kept her head directed towards the floor as she went silent, and her words suddenly reignited a spark in the SeeD - his previous recollection playing out in his head once more: the bright, massive wall of fire that suddenly surrounded him out of nowhere. The amount of shock and confusion and the feeling of complete helplessness he had felt, all rushing back to him again in that brief instance. He felt the heat of the flames once more as the memory played out just like before, and a faint sense of fear trickled inside of him. While he still couldn't even begin to fathom how any of it could have happened, he was at least now able to make some sense of what he had seen…if only a little.

"_I guess that explains it…"_ he thought.

Zell scanned his body in response to her words and was surprised to find that, despite her claims, there were no traces of burns anywhere on his body. His legs and arms bore no marks, no remnants whatsoever that even gave the faintest indication of any such thing occurring. The sight only baffled him further and he looked back at Quistis with a blank expression.

"But…there's nothing on me," he stated, the confusion clear in his voice, "I don't understand."

Quistis lifted her head and looked at Zell again before motioning towards Selphie. Her voice was still quiet, and somewhat grave, as she then proceeded to fill in the gaps of her previous explanation.

"Selphie cast a cure spell on you to heal the wounds. When you still didn't respond, we brought you to Doctor Kadowaki so she could help, and you could recover in a more…suitable environment."

The SeeD thought on those words for a moment, staring down at the bed as he sat there, taking it all in. He nodded his head lightly in understanding before slowly lifting it towards Selphie.

"…Thanks, Selph." he said, a quiet, grateful tone in his voice.

The petite brunette just smiled and nodded in response. Zell dropped his forehead onto his hand again, quite perturbed by the whole situation.

"What a mess…" he mumbled.

"So, now that you're awake…can you tell us exactly what happened?" Selphie asked.

Zell just shook his head at her words, disappointment with himself overcoming the SeeD. He wanted to explain, but he just didn't know what to say. He tried hard to remember, but the memory only went so far back. It had happened so fast, so unexpectedly that he'd had no time to react. It had covered his entire body and he could feel the flames scorching his skin as the fire had exploded in a massive burst. He had never experienced any moment such as that before in his life, and it had scared him terribly. He was flustered, annoyed even, that he was so clueless about the whole ordeal.

"…No," he mumbled, "I remember this huge fire engulfing me, but…everything else is completely blank."

An apologetic look swept across his face, frustration beginning to surmount the blond now from his own incompetence. It wasn't like he wasn't trying – he was. Despite his attempts, he just couldn't seem to catch any glimpse or clue as to the cause of the bizarre account. It was as if his thoughts were blocked, his memory seemingly having been burned away by that wall of fire that flared fiercely at the front of his mind.

"…Sorry," he mumbled, dropping his head again.

Quistis stepped towards Zell, holding out her hand and gently placing it on his shoulder. The SeeD glanced at her hand before looking up at the headmaster, eyeing her closely as a smile graced her face.

"At least you're okay," she said, softly, "That's what matters."

Selphie and Irvine smiled at him in agreement, and to show there was no tension. However, Zell didn't respond directly, emitting a faint sigh as he dropped his towards the bed again.

Just then, the doors to the infirmary slid open, the sound of such taking them by surprise and they all turned their heads to see Squall walking in. He was quiet as ever, his face bearing its usual stoic expression as he approached.

"Squall." Quistis said, the tone in her voice revealing her surprise at seeing him.

Squall didn't respond, quietly joining the small gathering around Zell's bed. He took immediate note of the SeeD's condition, the first words on the brunette's mind quick to emerge from his mouth.

"What happened to you?"

"Got me…" Zell answered, rubbing the back of his head. He dropped his hand back at his side and shook his head, his eyes still focused on the bedding beneath him.

Squall folded his arms, appearing somewhat angered by his response, when Quistis spoke up in Zell's defense.

"Sorry, Squall. He's not trying to be difficult – he just…can't remember anything right now, apparently. We're doing what we can to work with him."

Squall looked at Quistis, quite perplexed by her curious words. What did they mean he couldn't remember? Couldn't remember what? An array of questions entered his mind in an instant and he looked towards Zell. The SeeD still sat on the bed quietly, paying no mind to anyone else in the room while his eyes remained directed downward. Upon closer inspection, Squall realized that the blond did indeed seem rather troubled, bewildered even. It was a sight that only served to further the brunette's thoughts and query.

He glanced around the room at each of the others, Quistis placing her hand to her cheek while she appeared to ponder the situation. The blank expressions on the faces of his friends clearly revealed they were no wiser to the problem than him. Figures he would come back to something like this. Every time he turned around lately, a new issue had arisen. He would resolve one and another would just come out of nowhere. When would it end? Why was any of it even happening in the first place? This endless chain that had befallen them was not only getting annoying, but tiresome as well.

"…_Whatever."_ he thought, "You okay?"

Zell sighed in response, finally lifting his head towards Squall and nodding lightly.

"Yeah… I think so."

Squall folded his arms, exhaling in frustration under his breath. Why bother really? What was the point in even dwelling on this? He had had enough puzzles for one day and really didn't want to deal with anymore right now. Zell was fine anyway – he had just confirmed such. That was reason enough to convince the young Commander. Whatever had happened, he wasn't going to trouble his mind over it any further than he already had. It just wasn't worth his time, and he decided to drop the matter altogether. Besides, right now…he had other things to worry about, bigger things.

"Where's Rinoa?" he asked.

Quistis's head immediately slumped at his question, the tone in her voice drastically declining.

"I don't know. She disappeared right before we found Zell. She had tears in her eyes; I guess his condition really scared her."

Her words struck a nerve within Squall and he looked towards Zell again, the dumbfounded teen still sitting on the bed with the same look of mystification on his face as he shook his head - a clear indication that he was still having no luck in recalling anything from before this point. It was an odd scenario, for sure – vexing, disturbing even, and Squall grumbled under his breath out of irritation. What exactly had occurred here while he was gone this time?

He was pensive again, taking the entire scene into account: Zell's condition, Rinoa's apparent woe and another seeming disappearance; this whole moment. The words Quistis had spoken - something about them was off - he had heard it in her voice, and a foreboding feeling quickly overwhelmed him while he stood there, reflecting on them harder now. He didn't know why, but he had a strange feeling they were connected somehow. He had to find Rinoa – fast.

"I'll see you guys later," he said, abruptly, "Feel better, Zell."

"Yeah…" Zell mumbled, sounding a bit disillusioned.

Without another word, Squall turned around and hurried out of the room. Quistis and the others watched in wonder as he left, stupefied by his sudden behavior, once again, as the doors closed behind him.

"Squall?" she asked.

She stared at the door in silence, a troubled expression on her face as she thought about what just happened. Over the past few days, she had seen a whole other side to Squall that even she didn't expect could exist…and this particular instance was a clear indication of such. Initially, she had overlooked it, believing it to just be an effect of the recent events that had befallen them – he was slowly cracking under the pressure and was just afraid to let anyone see that. Squall had a lot of pride and hated showing vulnerability – it had only increased once he had been promoted. As Commander of SeeD, he did have a big image to uphold, so it would be understandable if he was stressed out from it all.

However, having seen him now…she was beginning to think otherwise, and in her mind recalled every occasion with him over the past few days up to the very moment where it all began. Ever since that day in her office, it was as if his mind had been somewhere else entirely – he was constantly disappearing, barely spoke, unless giving orders, and it had appeared as though Rinoa was the only thing he thought about lately. While that wasn't exactly out of the ordinary, it was quite obvious exactly how much his concern for her had increased. She couldn't be certain, but she had a strong sense that there was something he wasn't telling them – something that, for some reason, Squall was insistent on keeping to himself. She just couldn't fathom what it might be. It was deeply upsetting to the blond headmaster how he had suddenly become such an enigma to her.

"What was that all about?" Irvine asked, aloud, scratching his head in bewilderment.

They all stared towards the door and Quistis folded her arms, lowering her head a little as she emitted a sigh.

* * *

"Sir. Reconfiguration confirmed. Ready for initiation, sir." a soldier confirmed.

Caraway stood with his back to the soldier, staring out over the mountainous hillside of Dollet. Those words rang in his ears for a moment while he remained silent – a troubling reaction for the unwary soldier whom continued to stare at his superior's back, awaiting the cue for action.

"…Sir?" he asked, hesitation in his voice. He didn't want to disrespect his Commander, but he also knew the process could not continue without his consent. While the Galbadian Army had been given no insight as to the logic behind their appointed objection, they nevertheless acted without question on their orders. Of course, it went without saying that they didn't want to invoke the wrath of Galbadia's president. He clearly was his father's son – it especially showed in the face of defiance.

Realizing he had still not responded to the soldier, Caraway cut off his thoughts and glanced back at the man behind him in his peripheral vision, the latter still patiently awaiting the much needed confirmation. The Commander closed his eyes before giving a light nod of approval.

"Good…" he said, in a low voice, "Proceed as scheduled."

"Sir, yes, sir!" the soldier replied, giving a salute.

The soldier turned towards rest of the platoon and they immediately began the initiation. Caraway remained with his back to the action while he continued to stare off ahead, the voices of the soldiers behind him eliciting a light drop of his head as he closed his eyes.

"All systems go," the burly soldier announced, "Initializing activation."

He proceeded to type in a code on the panel in front of him before finally pulling the switch that rested on side of the power box. The platoon watched as the lights on the Communication Tower rapidly switched on, each row, from top to bottom, until the tower was completely powered.

Upon completion, the massive satellite directed towards the sky, soon sending a signal to a Galbadian satellite that sat positioned a few miles into space.

"Transmission received." the tall one verified.

Caraway remained silent; the soldiers seemingly unaware of his disposition as the process continued - the satellite in space responded to the tower's signal and reflected the transmission toward a specific point on the planet - an anonymous location just short of the Research Facility.

"Coordinates in check. Target successfully acquired."

Caraway kept his eyes ahead, continuing to overlook the vast expansion of ground below him while his eyes focused intently on the horizon. There was no turning back now. Very soon, Deling's plan would be ready and set into action…and he had been the one to make sure of it. This thought didn't shake him, however – it didn't matter. All he cared about now was keeping the Galbadian president satisfied…and he would do whatever was necessary in order to ensure that result.

* * *

Squall fought his way through the Training Center, gunblade tight in hand as he searched desperately for Rinoa. It was rather ironic really - up until recently, he'd had no time to train, all of his days taken up by boring paperwork and keeping Garden and SeeD in shape. Now, it seemed as though things had altered dramatically: he had done little, if any, work lately, but had since taken multiple trips to Esthar and the Training Center - and all within a few days' time. It was almost as if everything that was happening had been composed to make up for the past year - but, at least he was getting some long overdue practice in. He couldn't help but be a little amused at the thought, a faint smirk forming on his face while he moved hastily through the hazardous grounds.

He jumped into the air, lifting his weapon above his head as he yelled ferociously, coming down hard on an Anacondour with a brutal slash. The monstrous snake stood no chance against the powerful strike, instantly slicing in half and collapsing on the ground as Squall continued onward - the determination he held showed fiercely in his eyes as he stared ahead intently, his seeming anger acting as a furtive cover for the vast worry he harbored deep within.

Finally reaching his destination, he hurried through the doorway to the Secret Area, and upon entering was greeted by an awful sight: Rinoa sat alone, slumped down against the wall with her head in her hands, crying quietly to herself. Squall stared at her in silence for a moment, unsure of exactly how to react to the scene before him.

"Rinoa…?"

The grieving sorceress didn't even attempt to lift her head, instinct immediately telling her why he was standing here before her now. She didn't want to look at him. How could she given the circumstances? It was so horrible that she couldn't stand to face him, to deal with the devastating reality of it all. It still tore at her mercilessly - even the voice of her knight being unable to halt the immense burden of shame and guilt she felt towards the harrowing ordeal.

"I…I didn't mean to do it," she muttered, "I didn't mean to." The tears in her eyes slightly distorted her words, and her voice shook as she spoke. She curled up tighter, hugging her legs close as she continued crying into her knees.

Squall didn't respond, thunderstruck by her words and the mere sight of her. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen Rinoa so broken up over something; even their argument a few days ago had nothing on this moment. She was so scared of it, so scared of him – she was almost certain he had come here to reprimand her for the whole incident, her position clearly illustrating that she was bracing for the worst. He hated seeing her like this. He had expected tears, but certainly nothing to this extent. He mentally cursed the whole affair, compassion and anger consuming him at once while he stood there, contemplating what to say.

One specific thought that entered his mind brought him to realize that he may appear intimidating, and he relaxed his stance in hopes of easing any tension he was emitting. Why did he always have to come off so imposing? He didn't mean to seem so threatening all the time – he had just been doing it for so long that it had become natural to him. He had never thought much of it before, but right now…he hated it about himself. It was the one time he could ever recall cursing his years of military training.

"…Are you okay?" he asked.

"No…" she whimpered, shaking her head as she squeezed out more tears, "No, I'm not; Zell – it's all my fault what happened to him."

She cried even harder now at her words, the tears streaming down her face endlessly as she recalled what she had done to Zell – the condition she had left him in. Squall looked away, wondering how to help her under these conditions. It wasn't easy to deal with emotion when he had spent his whole life practically ignorant of it.

He looked back at Rinoa keenly, her immense amount of timidity and sorrow, her child-like innocence displayed before him once again – it all quickly became too much for him to bear. He closed his eyes, exhaling under his breath before he silently stepped forward and knelt down before her.

"What happened?" he asked, in a sympathetic tone.

Rinoa slowly lifted her head a little, staring down at her knees while she tried to contain further tears. She thought carefully on what to say, but no words or logic came to mind. How exactly was she supposed to explain it? Where did she even begin? Truthfully, she was just as lost on the matter as he was – a fact that only made this encounter harder for her.

"…I don't know exactly," she said, her voice still shaking from the distress she was consumed with, "We were just walking back inside, and I felt really weird for a moment. Suddenly, there was this fiery light - it just consumed him, and then…"

She dropped her head onto her knees again, sobbing further at the memory as her guilt overwhelmed her once more.

"I tried to stop it. I tried to, but…I just couldn't. I couldn't control myself," she admitted, "I don't know what happened."

Squall instantly froze at her words, his mind promptly flashing back to his recent meeting with Laguna. The president's voice suddenly rang loudly in his ears as he quickly came to recognize what was really going on. He was immediately confronted by the nightmarish reality that faced them, and he felt more fear in this moment than he ever had before. If his thoughts were accurate, then Laguna's fears were coming true: Odine's injection had officially run its course – Rinoa was starting to succumb to the effects, and now, it was only a matter of time before she lost complete control of her powers. This startling revelation left him completely lost for words or ideas on the matter. He had been almost certain that they had more time than this…but Rinoa's account allowed him to see exactly how wrong he had been. Just like that day in the infirmary, he soon felt a sense of powerlessness overtake him while he sat there, his eyes locked intently on the sorceress before him. He hated feeling this way – it made him feel detached from himself. It wasn't like him to feel so helpless, no matter the circumstances, and he detested himself for succumbing to such an emotion, even briefly.

However, he quickly shook it off. This wasn't the time to feel so pathetic and useless, not in front of Rinoa – not when she needed him most. How could he have even begun to allow himself to show such weakness, especially in a matter like this? She was counting on him, more than she ever had before in her life, and he had no intention of ever letting her down.

He exhaled deeply, empathy for the sorrowful, raven-haired girl before him overtaking the SeeD vastly and he quickly entered into his gallant role.

"Hey…" he said, softly.

He put his hand under her chin, gently lifting her head toward him so their eyes met, and he looked at her closely. He could see it all right then: the vast amount of turmoil she suffered evident in those heavily watered eyes. She was so fearful, so barred down by shame and apology. It tormented her – both of them. She was in complete disarray - he had never seen such frailty from her before. The very sight killed him inside. She was beating herself up immeasurably for the entire episode while blissfully unaware of the true monster lurking behind it all. He couldn't stand for it. It wasn't fair for her to bear such a terrible burden, to fret and suffer over something that wasn't even really her fault. She was just another victim in the end – a reluctant, unwilling puppet in a far more frightening and heinous scheme beyond her control.

"I'm sorry…" she sniveled.

Squall quickly pulled her to him, the sorceress burying her face in his chest as her crying resumed, another stream of tears running down her cheeks.

"It's okay," he assured her, _"It will be alright, Rinoa; I promise._"

They sat there in silence, the sound of Rinoa's sobbing the only thing heard as she continued crying into Squall's jacket. The SeeD just held her close, gently stroking her long, dark hair in his warm embrace while he quietly consoled her.

_***I always found it kind of odd, and boring, that you only find two kinds of monsters in the Training Center - so, I changed that. Diversity makes things more fun sometimes.8D***_


	19. Too Far Gone

**Phenomenon**

**Too Far Gone**

Nida walked into the headmaster's office the next morning, and his face instantly dropped at the sight that greeted him: Quistis sat alone, arms folded atop her desk while acting as a pillow for her slumped head. She seemed completely unaware of her surroundings, not even an attempt to acknowledge that someone had entered as she remained completely still.

He approached her quietly, stopping a few feet away as he stared at her in silence. Timidity quickly grabbed hold of him. If she was sleeping, he didn't want to disturb her. It wasn't like he couldn't understand why she would be so tired. They had been through so much over the past couple days, and as she and Squall had indeed appeared to suffer the brunt of the events, it was bound to take its toll. If anyone deserved some rest, she did. Even he knew how little she had slept since this all began.

Still, despite his hesitations, he couldn't bring himself to leave her as she was. With everything that was going on around them, they had to remain in peak condition and alert at all times. The threat of Galbadia was still at large, after all, and while he hated to disrupt her rest…it really wasn't something they could afford to set aside. The only thing that made his choice easy was that, in knowing Quistis, she would agree with him in the long run.

"Quistis?"

She reacted immediately upon hearing her name, lifting her head off of her hands as she appeared a bit disoriented for a moment. Now, finally recognizing that someone was in the room with her, a look of surprise instantly came over her face when she saw him standing before her.

"Oh! Nida," she said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ignore you. How long have you been standing there?"

"It's fine. I just got here actually." he replied, a tone of pity reminiscent in his voice.

Quistis sat up in her chair, shifting in place and quickly wiping the hair from her face. Upon readjusting her glasses, she regained her composure before looking at him again.

"So, um…is there anything I can help you with?" she asked.

Nida stared at her for a moment, his eyes locked on her face while he studied it closely. Behind her tired eyes, he could see traces of a somber expression – a sight that now left him in wonder and surprise. He didn't know what to think of the display before him. Ever since the news about Galbadia had reached their ears, he had seen a different side to her – he had seen her fatigued, and even in a sullen mood. He had seen her at her worst, and her best – but, this was something else entirely, the scene evoking an unsettling feeling within the SeeD as a look of deep concern fell upon his face.

Upon realizing he hadn't responded, however, he quickly shook his head, breaking out of his silence with a loud clear of his throat.

"No. Thanks. It's nothing really…"

Quistis scanned the mess of papers lying in front of her, a faint grumble of apparent frustration emitting upon sighing heavily. She gathered the files into a neat pile and muttered under her breath as she then began searching for a pen.

Watching the actions of the headmaster, Nida began to detect a nagging feeling within him - a strong sense that there was something else going on with her; something that, for some reason, she wasn't keen on telling anyone. Though uncertain of where such an idea had come from or why, he nevertheless, couldn't bring himself to ignore it – and while he hated to pry, it was for a good reason, the way he saw it.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concernedly.

"I'm fine," Quistis answered quickly, not even lifting her head from the papers she held, "I've just…got a lot to do."

She placed the documents back on her desk, her eyes immediately locking onto them intently as she proceeded to hover a pen over top.

"Now, let's see… Where was I…?" she mumbled.

She drew her hand over the files, pretending to be working so as not to draw any further attention from Nida. However, her ruse was quickly, and easily, recognized by the SeeD – her actions only serving to further prove that his prior thoughts had indeed been accurate. Having spent the past year working by her side to help run Garden, Nida had come to know her better than anyone else – his knowledge of her eventually growing to rival even that of Xu, her closest friend. Whatever was on the young headmaster's mind, it was clearly affecting her – and despite her obvious attempts to hide it, she wasn't as subtle about it as she appeared to believe. If there really was a problem, he wanted to do all he could to try and help. Right now, Galbadia and world issues could wait. Whether or not Quistis would approve of his meddling, it just wasn't in him to turn a blind eye when his friends were struggling in any way.

He carefully leaned forward, placing his hands on her desk as he looked at her closely.

"Quistis…" he said, in a soft voice.

The headmaster's stomach dropped at the sound of her name and she closed her eyes, her grip remaining on the pen as she dangled it above the papers. She could hear it clearly in his voice, his words, and actions, letting her know all-too well that she had been caught, much to her consternation.

"…I wouldn't even know where to begin." she sighed, a final attempt at detracting his attention.

"Just try to." Nida replied.

Quistis sighed at his words. Honestly, she was a bit annoyed now. The issues with Galbadia had been bad enough, and they had only worsened when she discovered Rinoa had been pulled into their endeavors - the lingering guilt the blond harbored from her part in the event pulling at her once again, despite the sorceress's recovery since. On top of that, she was still struggling to understand Squall's secrecy as of late - the unyielding sense that he was concealing something from them, some kind of news pertaining to Rinoa that he had no intentions of passing on, leaving her able to do little more than wonder exactly what it might be.

Finally, to add to the pile, Nida now saw fit to poke around in her personal life; trying to get her to open up about something she clearly had no interest in sharing. It was all too much – and, for the first time in her life, she was beginning to truly understand Squall. Really, she wished Nida would just back off and leave her alone right now. She didn't want to talk, didn't want anyone to try and help her with something that wasn't even any of their business. Whether one would believe it or not, she, too, had some things she would rather just keep to herself about. Besides, it wasn't like they would be able to do anything about it if she told them anyway.

She placed the pen down gently on her desk, shifting in her chair, once again, before lifting her head towards Nida one last time. She couldn't really be mad when she thought about it. She knew he meant well, and while was pleased to know he cared about her…it just wasn't a good time. She needed some time alone, to think, to process everything properly before she could even begin to explain it.

She searched her head a moment for the right words, doing her best to relax while she looked at him closely.

"Look…" she said, calmly, "I've got a lot going on at the moment. Maybe, I'll be able to tell you later. But, right now…let's just focus on what's really important. Okay?"

"…Okay." Nida replied, nodding his head lightly. Though reluctant to comply, she had made a point. They still had yet to uncover Galbadia's plot, after all, and they certainly couldn't allow anything to get in the way of doing so. Besides, it was obvious she wasn't willing to talk, and any further attempts would be utterly futile. As much as he hated to, he would just have to accept it.

Quistis smiled faintly at him, a gesture of the gratitude she felt towards his understanding, before getting back to work.

At that moment, Xu walked in, her entrance rather docile this particular time around - an odd contrast to her prior haste and abruptness. Though it was puzzling to see her so composed for the first time in a while, it was, nevertheless, a refreshing change of pace. The very sight would have provided Quistis and Nida with a sense of even the faintest relief were they not already burdened by the heavy atmosphere that lingered above.

"Hey, Xu…" Nida said, a pleased, yet dull tone in his voice.

"…What's going on?" she asked, a curious expression on her face as she approached. Much like Nida before her, it was a discomforting sight that awaited the female SeeD. Her comrade's greeting: his demeanor, tone, composure - everything about it left her with a slight sense of regret, reluctant to have stumbled upon such a scene, and she immediately began to feel the weight of such gloomy ambiance.

She glanced from Nida to Quistis, a look of anticipation on her face as she eyed the blond keenly.

"It's nothing," Quistis claimed, "Any new information on Galbadia?"

"Nothing at the moment," Xu answered, shaking her head, "It's hard to keep tabs on a country whose motives are so delved in secrecy. While I know that's not exactly the most comforting thing to hear, it's nice to know there's nothing new to be alarmed about."

Quistis and Nida nodded lightly in unison. Although Xu's words had left them somewhat uneasy, they ultimately found themselves unable to deny the truth of such. The past few days had been overwhelming, the events they had endured caused by Galbadia's actions leaving them all worried, stressed, and weary as they had struggled to find out the mysterious logic behind it all.

Though she didn't let it show, Quistis felt a faint sense of gratitude for a moment. While Galbadia's actions, or apparent lack thereof, were still found to be rather suspicious, it was, nevertheless, a relief to know that there was nothing else to add to her plate. Though remaining vigilant as to their priorities, really…the last thing she needed right now was more news regarding the main source of her troubles.

"By the way, have either of you seen Squall lately?" Xu asked, "I can't seem to find him anywhere."

Quistis closed her eyes at the mention of the SeeD Commander, her face instantly dropping and a morose expression reappeared. For once, she didn't have an answer to such a question – a disconcerting fact that only served to further the former SeeD's troubles. Squall had been so secretive, become so seemingly distant from everyone again that he had become nearly as impossible to track as Galbadia. His mind had been so wrapped up in Rinoa as of late; his thoughts, actions – everything completely centered on the young sorceress. She didn't know why it bothered her so much, really – it was just an odd feeling; something she couldn't explain, even to herself.

Maybe it was just a sense of loss?

Over the years, she had come to know Squall better than anyone. There were times when she had even taken pride in predicting his every word, move, and thought. But, now…she found herself wondering where that instinct had gone, what had happened to make him suddenly such a mystery to her and why. Something about it all just didn't seem fair to her, or so she felt. While she knew Squall just simply liked to keep to himself, this was clearly more than just his usual unwillingness to talk. He was hiding something, she could feel it; for the life of her though…she just couldn't imagine what.

Still...despite such pessimism regarding the brunette, given his behavior lately, there was _one_ thing she could be certain of.

"He's probably with Rinoa." she said, vaguely, her tone of voice, dull, but confident.

Xu lowered her head a little at the blonde's remark, an expression of inquisition forming on her face as an intriguing realization came to mind.

"You know...it's kind of weird when you think about it." she said.

"…What do you mean?" Nida asked, question, and curiosity, overcoming the SeeD as he eyed her intently.

Xu held back on her words a moment. She was hesitant to speak; cautious, more so. The last time she had made such an implication, it had, inadvertently, created a rift between allies and initiated the emotional and mental stress they each still faintly suffered from – and it had all been for naught in the end. While she truly felt that this particular instance held no such risks, she still found herself opting, momentarily, to drop the matter.

However, she quickly regained her composure, relieving herself of any concerns she harbored. The previous episode may have been a mistake, but having observed the facts personally this time around, she had been able her to make a clear and logical assessment. While she wasn't suspicious of Squall, she couldn't deny the obvious, and interesting, picture before them.

"Well, nothing was really happening until Squall and Rinoa got back from Esthar the other day, right?" she stated, "After that, Galbadia kind of faded out of the picture; and that was about the same time that Squall started acting strangely."

Quistis appeared to ponder the SeeD's words for a moment before ultimately shying away from the subject, shaking her head in reluctance and frustration as her eyes retracted back to the papers on her desk.

Nida, however, considered Xu's comment for a moment, assessing the words thoroughly and profoundly before finally, at long last, forming the same connection. She was right, actually. Having faint knowledge of the SeeD Commander, Nida didn't know him quite like the others, and as such, had practically turned a blind eye to Squall's behavior, blowing it off as being his typical routine – and recalling all the times he had literally referred to it as such. But now, however, he came to recognize the clues he had overlooked before.

Every encounter, every conversation he had had with the SeeD lately played through his mind – and in every instance, one detail stuck out during all of them: at every mention of Rinoa, Squall's demeanor had changed instantly – he would become reclusive and get quiet, angry, or even make some excuse to leave. He just appeared to be so on edge lately, the very mention of the sorceress revealing a surprisingly touchy, almost overprotective, side to him that they had never seen before.

It was an astounding revelation that had suddenly hit him, and he was momentarily lost for words on the matter as he stood there, mulling it over in his head one last time. When he really thought about it, he had to wonder how he ever could have missed it all. He may not know Squall very well, but he certainly didn't think that would have left him open to be so foolish as to the SeeD's unusual antics.

He was troubled by his ignorance up to now, a look of angst, and apparent concern, forming on his face from this epiphany as he looked from Quistis to Xu.

"What do you think it is that Squall knows…?" he thought aloud.

Quistis dropped her head a little at his question, closing her eyes in a bit of anguish as she emitted a heavy sigh under her breath.

"You know…I really couldn't say…"

* * *

Rinoa lay on a bench near the entrance to Garden, the warmth of the sunlight beating down on her tired body – though, given the current circumstances, she paid it no mind. Having been unable to shake what happened to Zell, she had gone off alone later that night, unbeknownst to Squall. So guilt-ridden and ashamed over the whole event, she had been deprived of any sleep, sorting the ordeal out in her head repeatedly, thoroughly, until, at last, her eyes had the lost the fight against such fatigue.

It was all still so fresh: her vicious attack on the unsuspecting Zell – his reaction, full of fear and shock just moments before being thrown violently onto the ground in a massive explosion. The image of the SeeD's scorched body lying nearly lifeless as she tore off in heavy tears stuck in her head like a recurring nightmare, bringing upon her the worst agony she had ever experienced before.

She quivered in her sleep, grunting from such torment at the images that plagued her, when she heard a voice that instantly shattered the horrible reverie.

"Rinoa."

She opened her eyes at the sound of her name to see Squall knelt down in front of her. He appeared rather stunned, a perplexed look on the SeeD's face as he stared at the sorceress in question.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked, "Are you alright?"

"…I couldn't sleep." she said, tiredly, slowly rising to a sitting position as she dropped her head onto her palm.

Squall slowly stood up, his eyes still locked keenly on Rinoa as he carefully sat down beside her.

Rinoa lowered her hand onto her lap, her head now hanging as she stared at the ground. She was reluctant to explain, to speak at all really. It was hard enough just thinking about it – how did she even begin to find the words? Though their conversation the previous night, and the SeeD's presence alone, had given the sorceress some respite from that moment, the grief she felt deep inside from her dark reality was far too immense to be so easily quelled. She could talk to Squall about a lot of things, but this was a completely different feeling for her. He had never had to deal with this kind of fear, these kinds of repercussions. How could he possibly come to understand?

As she sat there, contemplating what to say, she could feel his stare. He was waiting, listening; his anticipation of an answer caused her thoughts to race faster, and she felt uneasy from the apparent pressure as she searched harder for the words. She knew Squall wouldn't like what she was about to say, but she just couldn't run from the guilt and pain she struggled with.

"...I've been thinking about yesterday; about what happened…"

Squall closed his eyes in frustration at her words, hapless to stumble upon such a moment. Really, he had figured as much, but that didn't make the moment any better for him. While he truly cared about her well-being, he was sick of dealing with it all – the confusion, the stress, the frustration it all provided. The last few days of his life had been some of the hardest and worst he had ever endured. He had enough issues going on right now – he didn't need anything else added to the pile. Though he could understand her anguish, he was just tired.

"It was an accident," he muttered, "You need to stop beating yourself up over it."

"…I'm trying…" Rinoa replied, shamefully, emitting a sigh.

Squall could detect the hesitation in her voice and, for a moment, he began to feel a bit guilty. He wasn't trying to sound condescending or uncaring towards her – he was just trying to help her, get her to realize that it wasn't worth the hassle anymore and she needed to let it go. It was in the past. It couldn't be changed now, so why dwell on it? He could understand that the incident had been devastating to her – that was clear. He just _couldn't_ understand why she was letting herself be so victimized by one moment in her life. It was just an accident, a mistake – and she wasn't even really to blame.

"You're only making it worse for yourself thinking about it." he stated.

Rinoa only felt worse upon hearing his comment and her head slumped further now.

"I know; but…" she mumbled. There was a tone of sorrow in her voice as she spoke, her voice reminiscent of tears, though she fought to hold them back. She stared at her lap, curling her fingers into her shirt as she clenched the fabric tight, a single tear soon trickling down her cheeks from the immense remorse she suffered.

"Zell…" she whimpered, barely able to restrain her emotion, "What I did to him… I hurt him so badly..."

"Zell is fine." Squall said, abruptly.

Rinoa was surprised by the words that had emerged from the SeeD's mouth, the suddenness of such a claim leaving her briefly disoriented – and, for a moment, she thought she had heard wrong. Was that true? Zell was really okay? She wanted to believe that, as it would have greatly eased this burden she carried, but the timing of the SeeD's claim was far too convenient. Maybe he was saying that just to make her feel better? She didn't know him to lie to her, but she still had to wonder.

She lifted her head towards Squall, her watered eyes staring up at the brunette as she looked at him hopefully.

"Really…?" she asked, her voice bearing a hint of doubt.

"Yeah," Squall answered, "He's a bit shell-shocked, but he's alright. So, don't worry about it anymore."

Rinoa looked at him closely for a moment, studying Squall's expression carefully for any signs of hesitation, anything that might indicate a false hope. She didn't mean to seem untrusting of him, but she had to make sure of his words – for her sake.

The SeeD remained calm, however, staring back at her in compliance, as if he knew what she was thinking. His face, his words, the look in his eyes – everything about him bore a clear, irrefutable honesty. If there was one thing she knew about Squall, it was that he always meant what he said. She could be certain of the truth to his words.

She slowly turned her head away to stare back at her lap for a moment, a wave of relief sweeping over the grateful sorceress as a faint smile formed at the edge of her mouth. However, it soon faded almost as quickly as it had appeared.

"Still…that doesn't change what happened," she said, quickly rising from her seat and stepping forward, "I know you said not to worry about it; but it's not that easy."

"Rinoa…" Squall said, in melancholy, as he slowly rose to his feet now. He stared ahead at her in empathy, the sight of the kindly sorceress still so grief-stricken over the whole ordeal filling him with a heavy heart.

Rinoa grabbed her pendant, clutching it tightly in her grasp as the memory resurfaced once again: that bright, burning light quickly consuming Zell, and in a single, massive burst of fire… the SeeD was utterly incapacitated, almost gravely so. She knew Squall was right. She didn't want to think about it; she didn't _want_ to feel this way. But, at the same time…how could she not? It was just so hard to let it go when she was constantly reminded of that moment. It stuck in her head, playing over and over, haunting her dreams and every waking second since.

"I know I'm still inexperienced; but, I've never lost control like that before…" she said, timidly.

She quickly turned around towards Squall in a burst of fear.

"What if it happens again?"

"It won't." Squall replied.

"You don't know that!" she said, loudly.

He looked away at her remark, immediately falling silent. Her words made anger flare inside him, but at the same time, drowning him with remorse. Though it pained him to admit it…she was right. He was pensive, trying hard to think of something he could do or say to try and reassure her – but, was quite disturbed to discover that there was nothing this time; not a single argument he could make to convince her that she had no reason to be afraid. For the first time in his life, he actually felt a sense of defeat – and he hated it. It really was hard to argue with the truth.

Rinoa slowly turned her back towards Squall again, the SeeD's silence only serving to further her turmoil. She felt like crying all over again as her lips trembled, and she could feel her eyes nearly watering in an instant. She fought to contain the tears, but a few still managed to trickle down her cheek. Despite her attempts, she had known it was a futile battle. Right now…she just needed some confirmation that everything was going to be okay – but that was the one thing she feared she would never get. No matter what anyone would say or think; nothing, no words, could ease this awful burden that crushed her so harshly.

"…You don't know what it's like to live with this fear," she muttered, a faint snivel emitting, "Not knowing what you'll do next, who you'll hurt; but knowing there's nothing you can do to stop it. It's scary to think about - but, even scarier to think that…maybe…"

"That's enough!" Squall ordered, his voice loud as he abruptly cut her off.

Rinoa quickly turned around at the sound of his voice, her eyes immediately locking on the SeeD's expression. He appeared rather stern, annoyed even – a sight that was met by wonder, and worry, from the already fearful sorceress. She had never seen Squall look at her that way before, and she couldn't help but question what could have possibly gotten him so angry with her. She had just been speaking her mind, voicing fears she had long since hidden away. Of all people, she had thought he might be the one to understand, despite her prior hesitations to tell him. Now, however…she regretted that choice, Squall's reaction filling her with an acute discomfort – a feeling she had never expected to experience around him. Maybe she was making too big a deal out of one instance, but her thoughts and fears were fully comprehensible in her eyes.

Squall stared back at her intently before he finally spoke again, his voice firm, and his words compassionate – a surprising contrast to his apparent aggravation.

"I know you're scared, Rinoa. I understand. It's true: you never know what's ahead. The future can be scary to think about sometimes. But, you can't let one moment control your life."

Rinoa dropped her head again, her eyes closing briefly at his words.

"…I know…," she said, quietly, "It's just that-"

"Listen to me." Squall said, cutting her off once again as he placed his hands on her shoulders.

Rinoa lifted her head at such an action, another tear rolling down her face as she stared up at the SeeD mournfully, the fear, sorrow, and confusion she harbored showing clearly at that moment. Just that one look in her eyes allowed Squall to truly realize exactly how much she suffered - and he was penitent in regards to his actions up to now, immediately recalling how he had practically brushed it off at first.

Despite his beliefs and intentions, he had still managed to do it again: his actions, a means of comfort and encouragement, had come off as completely insensitive. Here Rinoa stood, having shared her greatest fears and doubts with the one person who should be expected to understand - and he had all but given her the cold shoulder, turning a blind eye to her trauma. He instantly hated himself for it.

"No matter what happens, I'll be by your side," he said, "We'll figure this out. Nobody else will get hurt. I promise."

Their eyes locked intently on one another while they stood there in silence for a moment. Though Squall couldn't be entirely certain of everything he had just said, he hid any doubts he held in regards to the issue. It didn't matter what he thought and felt. All he cared about was Rinoa. He had made her a promise and he wasn't one to go back on his word, no matter what, especially when it came to her. The expression on the sorceress's face: that lingering fear and hesitation, indicative of her unsettled nerves, prompted a notion of affirmation from the SeeD, and he nodded in assurance of his words.

Rinoa smiled gratefully at Squall, a tear of joy slowly rolling down her cheek and she quickly hugged him tight. Squall responded with the same action, carefully wrapping his arms around her in return and held her close for a moment. Feeling the SeeD's embrace now, Rinoa pulled herself closer to him, tightening her grip around his waist and burying her head in his chest more.

Squall gave no resistance to her increased affection, instead, closing his eyes tenderly, enraptured by the moment as he continued holding onto her. It was another defining moment in the SeeD's life as he silently took everything in: Rinoa's woes, her sorrows, her fears and hesitations – the torment she clearly endured inside pulled at him tirelessly as they stood there, the raven-haired sorceress clinging to him longingly, so afraid, so unwilling to let go, a clear illustration of the immense love and trust she had placed in him – and he couldn't betray such conviction. This was the final straw. Odine and his injection, Galbadia's intentions – everything; all of it was coming down, and by his own hand, if they were unfortunate enough. Whatever happened, whatever it took…he would end it all and save Rinoa, from herself; and from them. With his heightened resolve, this was his silent vow to her – and he would make sure it was fulfilled.

"Thank you…Squall." Rinoa murmured, in an innocent voice.

She released her grip on the SeeD and slowly let go of him, her eyes meeting his one last time as she smiled again, faintly.

Squall looked at her closely, a smile forming at the edge of his mouth now, too, and he nodded lightly.

"Come on." he said, motioning inside.

He reached for Rinoa's hand, ready to lead her back inside, when a brilliant flash of light suddenly emitted from between them, the sorceress letting out a loud cry nearly instantaneously.

"Rinoa?!" Squall yelled, a horrified expression on his face.

He quickly reached for the sorceress again, but upon touching her, was knocked away by an unseen force and stumbled backward. Within seconds, an odd symbol appeared on the ground beneath the startled SeeD, emblematic of the devastating spell, Apocalypse.

Rinoa fought, with great difficulty, to control and contain her powers from going berserk once more, but her efforts were beyond useless in this instance. Somehow, to her surprise, and terror, she couldn't even begin to detain the extremity that surged through her this time. It was vastly and considerably overwhelming, the power she felt coursing throughout proving far stronger than she could have anticipated; the previous experience practically paling in comparison to this one. After mere seconds, it wasn't even a fight anymore. Quickly realizing she was completely powerless to stop it, she slumped in pain, able to do little more than submit to the massive force inside of her.

Suddenly, she let out a piercing cry as she felt her power completely consume her, unleashing its force on yet another reluctant, and unfortunate, target.

Squall glanced down at the ground, the symbols beneath his feet glowing vibrantly and he shielded his eyes. Enormous rays of light emerged from the glyphs, rising upward and meeting together directly above the SeeD while he, and Rinoa, remained helpless to stop it.

Within seconds, the spell reached its full potential and an enormous pillar of light crashed down on top of Squall. Like Zell before him, he was immediately encased in a bright light that continued to grow in size before finally bursting in a massive display of frightening power.

Squall was instantly shot backward by the force of the blast, slamming his back into the wall of Garden at full speed. Yelling loudly in pain, he promptly fell onto the ground, immediately rendered unconscious by the impact and lay nearly lifeless.

The spell now completely utilized, Rinoa's powers ceased, once again, leaving no trace that the event had ever occurred. The young sorceress stood with her hand to her forehead, staggering in place as she began to feel dizzy and weak as a result of the spell's incredible power. She looked ahead in the direction of the now incapacitated Squall, her head spinning at an alarming pace as she fought to focus on the scenery before her and gasped desperately.

"….Squall…" she whimpered, weakly.

Finally losing the strength to stand, she felt herself tumble over, her eyes closing just seconds before she hit the ground.

* * *

The door opened into the dark room. Deling stood at the threshold, a smirk slowly expanding ear to ear while he stared ahead.

He slowly walked through the doorway and made his way towards the center of the area. His eyes remained locked intently on the pod ahead of him, only the faint sound of his footsteps heard as he moved across the cold, hard floor.

Upon approaching the object, he stopped silently in his tracks, his eyes scaling the odd structure as he lifted his head slowly. He studied the pod for a moment, glancing from top to bottom, side to side, taking in the sight of it with an odd, almost eerie admiration. The capsule that sat junctioned to the side was now empty, its contents having been fully unloaded into the husk, letting the domineering president know the process had finally been completed…much to his satisfaction.

Behind him, Odine trekked across the vicinity towards the computer system further over. Turning it on immediately, he entered the proper code and the following sight that greeted his eyes left quite the impression, to say the least, on the doctor.

"Conditions inside ze pod are remarkable," he said, his voice sounding almost as if he were in a trance, "Ze attributes have been modified successfully – and zey look even better than expected.

He turned his head around toward Deling, the young president standing with his back to the doctor while he continued to stare into the pod pleasurably.

"It will be nearly unstoppable." Odine claimed in a seemingly surprised, yet gratified, tone.

Deling closed his eyes in a moment of ecstasy, taking in Odine's words, and his accomplishment, with a dark sense of pride and joy.

"…Right on schedule," he said, proudly, "Congratulations, doctor. You live up to your reputation."

Odine walked over to Deling, joining in marveling at the sight of their completed experiment before the president muttered one final phrase, another smirk forming on his face.

"Now, we move on to phase three. It would seem it is time to pay a special visit to our dear friends."


	20. Prelude to Chaos

**Phenomenon**

**Prelude to Chaos**

Squall slowly awoke, the first sight that greeted the brunette a bright shade of pure white that tore harshly at his weakened eyes.

"_What…?"_ he wondered to himself, his eyes groggy as a faint grunt emitted.

He slowly forced himself into a seating position, only to be overcome by a horrendous sore all down his back. He winced hard, his breath nearly knocked out of him from the substantial pain he felt. In all of his years as a SeeD, all of the training and missions he had taken on, he had never experienced any physical repercussions like this. He tried to block it out, but the aching only increased as he sat up further. It was excruciating, even for someone of his stature. It felt like his spine had been completely crushed. He nearly rubbed his back, starting to move his arms behind him - but the immense, burning pain from his vertebrae was enough to prevent him from doing so, as such an action only furthered the extremity of it.

He clenched his teeth, eyes closing tighter and his nose scrunched up now, the young Commander letting out a weak groan as he finally sat up straight, barely managing to endure the massive agony. He breathed deeply, doing his best to regain his stamina, when he heard a soft, familiar voice beside him.

"You're awake…!"

Squall turned his head slowly to see Rinoa sitting in a chair beside his bed. She appeared to be relaxed, her body positioned comfortably in the seat in a fashion that reflected her fragile and innocent nature. However, in a sharp contrast, her face was morbid, almost tearfully so, though she did her best to conceal it behind a feigned smile as she stared back at him.

"Rinoa…" he murmured.

"Are you okay?" she asked, sweetly, her voice practically a whisper.

Still a bit winded, Squall didn't respond right away, retracting his attention to the blankets that covered his lower body. He shook his head hard, trying to break out of his disorientated and fatigued state as his mind worked to recollect the pieces. It didn't take long for him to remember what had happened; the bright flash of light, the powerful calamity, and the massive explosion played back in his mind in an instant. He recalled the event perfectly, right up to the moment he was thrown against Garden and knocked out from the vicious impact, the hefty pain in his back the unfortunate result of the whole event.

He turned his head towards Rinoa again, his eyes immediately locking with hers as a look of assumption quickly came over the SeeD's face.

"It was you…"

Rinoa closed her eyes at his words, her calm and serene expression fading in an instant. A great flood of emotion rapidly consumed the sorceress and she lowered her head, shaking it lightly, and nervously, in confirmation.

Seeing her reaction, Squall looked away again, neither of them saying a word or even attempting to look at one another as silence refilled the room. The whole event played back in their minds, the conversation they had had rising to the front along with all their thoughts.

"You told me no one else would get hurt." Rinoa mumbled, the pain and sorrow clear in her voice, her actions and words both a clear illustration of the betrayal she felt from the one person she trusted most.

"…I know." Squall muttered, dropping his head in shame. He balled his fist at his side, a mix of frustration, anger, and regret swelling up within him. He knew what she was getting at with that remark - and it wasn't like he couldn't understand why. Sure, he hadn't _meant _to lie to her – but, the point was that he had.

"...Squall, I'm scared…" Rinoa mumbled, her words a bit distorted by the tears that had begun to fall down her face. She sat in her seat, her face still directed towards the floor while her body trembled, the young sorceress fighting to contain any further emotion.

Squall looked back at her upon hearing her speak, the sight of the sorceress' sudden condition immediately bringing about a feeling of great concern as he looked at her in question.

"It's getting worse," Rinoa said, in a hushed tone, "For a minute…I thought you wouldn't come back to me."

Squall looked back down at his bed sheets again, his eyes closing in grief for the remorseful sorceress as he sat in silence. That fear, he could understand more than anyone else in the world. That devastating sense of loss, of living your whole life wondering if the people you loved would ever come back to you. It struck him hard, her words reigniting a faint spark deep within the SeeD that he had fought so hard to extinguish.

Rinoa wrapped her arms around her torso, holding herself tightly while she leaned forward, as if she may be sick any moment – the mere thought of Squall dying and leaving her alone, especially by her own hand, filled the sorrowful young woman with the worst fear and shame she had ever known. Her greatest nightmares were rapidly coming true: she was quickly becoming a liability, a horrible threat to her friends and the lives of everyone she cared about – and all because she couldn't control her powers. It was the one thing she had always feared since she first became a sorceress – and the fact that it was actually, finally happening…the burden of such a harrowing reality crashed down on her like the weight of a thousand tons. She had already left Zell seriously injured and nearly killed Squall…and all within a mere twenty-four hours. If things could get worse, she didn't want to know; couldn't even bear to imagine exactly how that could be possible.

She lifted her head towards Squall again, slowly, the tears swelling in her eyes and more rolled down her cheek. She choked on her words, hesitation and fear overtaking her for a moment as she breathed heavily from her emotion.

"…I've already hurt you and Zell," she said, "What will happen if this continues? Who will I hurt next? And, what if next time…"

She couldn't even finish her sentence as the horrid thought that struck her mind left her too terrified to speak further. She covered her mouth, wincing hard and squeezing more tears out of her eyes. She didn't even try to stop the display. She knew such efforts would be futile - the emotion she felt was far too strong this time.

Squall stared at Rinoa in silence, watching the young, fearful sorceress continue to tremble horribly. She didn't have to finish her sentence for him to know what she was thinking - he could see it clearly in her actions, and on her face. He wanted to say something, something that would comfort her and help to relinquish the immense amount of pain and trepidation she had become so consumed with as of late – but, he was unable to find any words. His fear of letting her down again with another empty promise barred his mind, as if to make certain he _couldn't_ lie to her anymore.

In a way, he was grateful, as much as a part of him hated to admit such. Rinoa was already suffering enough from the torment of her own actions, blameless as she was – she certainly didn't need anything else to burden her, especially from him, of all people. With nothing to say in regards to the sorceress' struggles, Squall could do little more than sigh under his breath, repentantly, at the whole situation.

"…It's not fair," Rinoa sniveled, "I never asked to become a sorceress in the first place. If this is my future: to become some kind of monster; then I don't want to be one anymore."

She slumped further in her seat, her voice shaking while her lips now trembled, terror overcoming the fearful sorceress from the horrible thoughts that instantly plagued her mind.

Squall felt his conscience start to pull at him now, and he struggled with the confliction he felt. He wanted to tell her – but, how could he even begin to explain himself? How could he possibly reveal that he knew what was wrong, what was happening to her and why? The more she afraid she became, the harder it was for him to keep it in. He had kept it a secret all of this time to protect her, worried that the truth might only succeed in feeding her fear even more. Out of such terror and desperation, she would have undoubtedly looked to him for hope, some kind of remedy or escape; something he couldn't provide this time around…at least not yet. He couldn't tell her out of dread that he truly was powerless, out of shame that he was unable to help her when she needed him the most. He feared that he could only watch as she went through what might just be the scariest time of her life.

"I just want it all to stop," she said, pleadingly, "…Just stop."

She shook her head hard at her words, crying quietly to herself, the faint sound of her sniveling soon all that was heard as the room quickly fell into silence once again.

Beckoned by her words and actions, Squall finally cracked under the pressure he felt, unable to remain silent towards the matter any longer. Even if he still couldn't tell her the truth, he could at least give her words of encouragement; let her know that there was still a chance to escape the future she was so certain she faced. He wasn't conveying absolutes, nor did he intend to make any more promises he couldn't be certain he could keep. While he hated to sound redundant and vague, he could at least be confident that his words were not in vain this time.

He carefully reached for Rinoa, taking her soft, trembling hand in his. The tearful, fear-ridden sorceress lifted her head in wonder upon feeling this, her watered eyes meeting the SeeD's and both pairs locked onto one another.

"Don't worry," he said, in a gentle tone, "I'm still here – and I won't let that happen. It's going to be okay. I'll find a way to help you; just give me time."

They sat in silence for a moment, Rinoa staring into the SeeD's eyes with a hopeless expression. She wanted to believe him – that it really would be okay and there was nothing to fear. A part of her even actually felt a sense of security from his words; but, the rest was still so heavily overwhelmed by doubt and apprehension.

How? It was the only question on her mind. How could he save her? How could he possibly expect to stop her powers from overtaking her? As much as she wanted to believe it could happen…it just didn't seem plausible. Though she trusted the SeeD to no end, she just couldn't bring herself to deny her frightening reality.

Squall could tell Rinoa held reservations towards the situation, but he kept a straight face to conceal the fact that he, too, harbored the same concerns. He knew her fears; he could understand her doubts. But, despite the fact that time was clearly not on their side, he also knew he couldn't give up. Rinoa was losing control of her powers at an alarming rate, rapidly becoming stronger with nearly every passing hour. Meanwhile, they still had yet to figure out Galbadia, and Odine's, reasoning behind it - and no possible means of rectification anytime soon. It wouldn't be much longer before the injection forced Rinoa's power to its maximum potential – and he couldn't allow for that to happen. Just the thought of that shrewd, slime of a doctor getting his way, reignited that deep anger and aggression within the brunette, which only compelled him further. He had promised to save Rinoa, and that was what he was going to do, whether or not the odds were in their favor.

He stared back at the sorceress intently, nodding his head firmly in assurance.

Without another thought, Rinoa pulled herself to Squall, clutching him tight as she hugged him close once again while one last tear trickled down her cheek.

"Squall…" she whimpered.

"I know." he replied, easily anticipating her next words.

They continued holding onto each other, neither of them saying another word as Rinoa clenched the fabric of Squall's sleeve in her hand. However, the moment between them was short-lived when a beeping sound echoed throughout the room, instantly shattering the silence.

"_Squall! Report to the Bridge immediately!"_ Quistis' voice rang out over the intercom. She had no hesitation as she spoke, her voice bearing a clear urgency and commanding tone as it rang through the halls of Garden.

Squall and Rinoa slowly let go of each other and looked up at the ceiling in wonder. A heavy feeling of dread came over the Commander, his heart pounding in response to the young headmaster's sudden order. In all the years he had known her, Quistis had never panicked – and hearing her like this, he could only wonder what might have happened that could rile her up so badly and easily. He didn't know what was wrong…but, he had a strong sense he wasn't going to like it.

* * *

Squall and Rinoa made haste to the third floor, running off the elevator as they made their way through the office to the doorway ahead. Squall hurried onto the lift at the Bridge with Rinoa right behind him, the raven-haired sorceress shaking nervously as they rode up to meet the others. She didn't know what was going on, but much like Squall, the tone in Quistis' voice had shaken her greatly. She didn't know what to think, what to expect once they reached the top, wondering what might await them. After all that had gone on up to now, she was extremely unsettled, disturbed even by this moment. She didn't know how, but while she couldn't believe things could actually get worse…she had a horrible feeling that they were about to.

Panic and dread overtaking her, Rinoa did the only thing she could think of: slowly reaching for Squall's hand down at her side, she carefully slid hers into it and held tight. Squall took no physical notice of such actions - instead, responding with a firm grip as soon as he felt it, holding her hand in his, a comforting reminder that he was there and would protect her from whatever was ahead, no matter what.

"I don't get it. What are they doing here?" Xu thought, aloud, her voice the first to greet the couple, "How did they even get this close without us knowing?"

Squall took note of her tone. She sounded panicked, much like Quistis had only minutes before, a fact that only served to increase the brunette's dread as he and Rinoa finally reached the Bridge. Quistis and the others stood with their backs to the couple, seemingly unaware they had arrived as their eyes sat locked ahead on something in the distance.

"What's going on?" Squall asked. His voice broke through the silence and instantly grabbed their attention, the trio turning around in unison to find him staring back at them, a questioning look on his face as he awaited some kind of answer with great anticipation.

"Take a look." Quistis replied, wasting no time as she quickly handed him a pair of binoculars.

Grumbling lightly under his breath at the whole scenario, Squall took the item from the blonde's hands and lifted it to his face. As soon as he had positioned them properly over his eyes, his vision was met by an unexpected sight: a massive, flying object was coming their way. It appeared similar to Balamb Garden, though completely red in appearance, and an enormous wheel-like structure sat spinning underneath while keeping it afloat. He immediately recognized the structure – it was Galbadia Garden. He stared ahead at the floating school in surprise as it appeared to be heading right toward them.

He slowly removed the binoculars from his field of vision, his eyes still focused ahead as a million questions raced through his mind. Galbadia had gotten everyone riled up with their actions for a few days just to fall into silence again shortly after, as if nothing had ever happened. Now, they act without warning again - this time, appearing in plain sight, almost as if with the intention to challenge them. Their erratic actions greatly baffled the young Commander and he worked rapidly to make sense of the situation while the Garden continued to trek toward them, the distance between the two schools closing more with each passing moment.

"What do you think, Squall?" Quistis asked.

Squall closed his eyes in response to her question, the obvious answer having formed in his head before she had even asked. He folded his arms, an action that clearly illustrated the frustrations he held in regards to the matter. Though reluctant to comply with the thought, instinct told him that the impending event was inevitable, unfortunately. He knew the threat of battle when he saw it – and past experience with Galbadia had taught him one thing: when it came to taking action, they were clear on what they wanted – and they had every intention of seeing it through.

Squall opened his eyes again, lifting his head toward the oncoming Garden again as a sudden realization came to mind - the one thought that stuck out amongst all of the others, and made the situation they faced seem so worth it. This was the opportunity he had been waiting for all of this time: to pay them back for everything they had done, all of the problems they had caused him and his friends over the past couple days, all of the pain and fear they had ignited – and, most importantly…what they had done to Rinoa. He could confront Odine, put an end to their intentions here and now…and finally save her. It was all the motive he needed – and, while he wouldn't admit it, a part of him relished in the thought of wiping that grin off the doctor's face once and for all, and he could feel a smirk form at the edge of his mouth.

With these thoughts in mind, Squall finally nodded in acceptance of the situation, and the imminent battle they faced, before turning towards the others calmly.

"I think they've already decided for us. It looks like we're fighting."

They all nodded in compliance and began preparing themselves for the confrontation. Despite her acceptance of the situation, however, Quistis was still hesitant to act, the whole scenario instantly bringing back memories of the prior year: the Battle of the Gardens, during the war against the sorceress. It had started out just like this, and then quickly spread into utter chaos as they fought the hardest they ever had to defend their home from the massive Galbadian Army. It had been a fierce struggle - Cadets and SeeDs fought side by side in attempt to make the best of a desperate, and seemingly hopeless, situation – and though they had still managed to emerge victorious, the outcome hadn't been without consequences. She was rather discomforted by the endeavor, hapless, more so, to actually relive such a difficult and devastating event in their lives, especially so soon. This would be her first battle as the headmaster of Garden - and she felt herself overcome with anxiety from the pressure that crashed down on her from this realization.

Still, in spite of the account, she did her best to relax and forced herself to block out the past. This was no time for fear or second-guessing. This was their reality – battle was upon them once again. She couldn't afford to dwell on the past. Everyone was ready to do their part in defense of their home, just like before, and she had to be ready as well. While still holding reservations towards the issue, the students and Garden were her top priority as headmaster. She had to do whatever was needed in order to defend them – and she had every intention of following through.

She looked ahead intently, hiding her doubts and concerns behind a straight face while she awaited the moment of action.

"Squall, you're up." Nida said, turning on the microphone.

"…_Right."_ Squall thought, with reluctance. He sighed as he dropped his head, knowing what the SeeD pilot meant. He loathed the thought of giving another speech, folding his arms in discomfort. He preferred to skip any formalities - the whole idea of announcing the impending battle seemed nothing more than a waste of time to him. On top of that, he just hated giving speeches in general - public speaking just wasn't his thing.

However, knowing it was necessary in order to prepare the Garden faculty and students; he caved to his duty and slowly stepped forward.

"_Balamb Garden students and faculty – your attention, please," _he announced, firmly, _"Responding to an imminent threat, we will be going into battle with Galbadia Garden. We must ready our defenses and prepare to engage them in combat."_

He paused, closing his eyes for a moment as he could sense the shock and confusion that instantly filled the residents of the school.

"_I know it's sudden," _he continued, calmly, _"But, we've fought them before and we'll do it again. Balamb Garden is in danger, once again, and we'll do whatever is necessary to defend our home. Just stay calm, and report to your appointed positions."_

He went silent again as he began to draw up a battle plan. Taking the previous struggle with Galbadia Garden into consideration, he proceeded to recall every moment of their endeavors: everything he had done right, and everything he had done wrong – and used that to his advantage for this time. This was their second chance – the chance for Garden, and all of SeeD, to show what they were truly capable of; and, for him…to correct past mistakes and prove to everyone, and himself, that he was a worthy leader. He would make sure not to make the same mistakes as before.

Remembering that they had been weak in offense, but good defensively, he made sure to pay heed to that in his strategy. While the Balamb Garden students had now had another year to train and improve their skills, they still weren't at the same level of the Galbadian Army. On top of that, the opposing soldiers had a massive arsenal ranging from various types of weaponry, technology for aerial and ground assault, and many more years of experience – no matter how long and hard the students of Balamb would train, they would never be on par. However, this didn't faze the young SeeD Commander. He was more than ready this time – to end this whole affair, save Rinoa, and his friends, and return the peace they had worked so hard to obtain not long ago. If the Galbadian Army couldn't be overpowered…perhaps they could be outwitted.

"_The enemy's forces are greater in strength and numbers, I know, but our greatest strength is in our defense – so listen carefully," _he said, speaking over the intercom once more, _"In anticipation of a simultaneous ground and aerial assault, we will concentrate our forces at the front gate and Quad. 1__st__ and 2__nd__ class indirect operatives, report to the Quad - Irvine Kinneas will be your leader. Said personnel specializing in close-range combat, report to the front gate with Zell and Selphie. SeeD members will spread __themselves among the second floor classroom, Parking Lot, and the Infirmary. Doctor Kadowaki will take care of the junior classmen, so be sure to get them to the Infirmary ASAP. Those remaining will act as back-up should our defenses start to fall. I don't know how long this fight will take, and I can't guarantee it will be any easier than before. But, if there's one thing I _can _promise…it's that any threats to our friends, or our home, must be eliminated at all costs. So, if it's a fight they want, it's a fight they'll get. Don't think twice, and don't look back. Let's do this quick, but with caution and proper judgment. I'm counting on you guys. Good luck!"_

He finished his speech, immediately dropping into silence once again as he reflected on his words for a moment. He then proceeded to calmly turned toward Quistis and the others, his face, unnerved, as he looked at them intently.

"Nida, you stay here in case we need to mobilize Garden again for any reason. In the meantime, in case anything we didn't expect occurs or something goes wrong, Quistis and Xu will stand guard at the entrance to the office to prevent any attempts at reaching the Bridge."

They all nodded in understanding and saluted Squall in unison.

"What about me?" Rinoa asked, a look of panic and worry on her face. She held her hand over her chest, clutching her pendant as she stood there, staring back at Squall nervously.

"Just stay by my side," Squall replied, "I'll make sure nothing happens to you."

"No," she quickly replied, shaking her head in rebuttal, "I mean…lock me up!"

Squall looked at her in surprise, the SeeD Commander clearly baffled by such a sudden and peculiar order. He had heard some unusual demands from her before, most specifically after they had first met, but this exceeded those by far. He knew she wasn't fond of battles and it was obvious that the coming confrontation was making her rather uneasy – but, he had thought, and hoped, that his words of comfort and confidence would be enough to subdue any worries she harbored.

He was hesitant to comply, thoughts instantly swirling in his head from what problems would arise should he be unable to get to her if needed. He had promised himself, and her, that he would protect her at all times – but, how could he do that if they were to separate like she suggested? If anything happened to her while they were apart, he would never be able to forgive himself. He had lived enough of his life with regrets and fear – he didn't need to have that hanging over his head, too. What she requested was too risky. He just couldn't bring himself to accept it.

"Please…" she begged, "I don't want to hurt anybody else."

Squall's eyes lay fixated on the sorceress, giving no response in the least while he contemplated the whole predicament. This decision should have been easy for him, but for some reason...he found himself conflicted on what to do, what was the right way to handle it. His main priority was protecting Rinoa, first and foremost, and he was reluctant, unwilling even to leave her alone - especially with the Galbadian Army rapidly encroaching upon them.

Still, as he stood there, staring silently back into her plaintive eyes...he couldn't help but sympathize with the sorceress. She was so scared, consumed with apprehension at the thought of bringing further harm to the people she cared about. She stood across from him, her expression bearing a desperate plea that he would conform to her single request. She wasn't doing this to be difficult - it was a sincere notion, an idea born out of great concern for her friends' safety, and that same, unyielding will to protect them as well. If she couldn't get to them, she felt, she wouldn't be able to hurt them. It was better than risking their lives if she lost control again.

This realization in mind, Squall finally reached his decision. Though still harboring some doubts, and reluctant to take such action, he nodded his head lightly in compliance.


	21. Battle of the Gardens

**Phenomenon**

**Battle of the Gardens**

Galbadia Garden crept closer to Balamb, the distance between the two schools continuing to close at a consistent pace. In a scene oddly reminiscent of the year before, the Galbadian Army stood at the front of their flying base as they readied their weapons for another assault on Garden. Commander Fury Caraway stood at the head of the Army, his arms placed calmly behind his back while he stared ahead towards their target.

Deling stared out over the army from the Headmaster's office with Doctor Odine beside him. Despite his seemingly calm demeanor, the tyrannical president fought hard to contain his enthusiasm. Finally, after all of this time and careful planning, his plot was now complete. The troops stood calm and strong, their defenses solid and their resolve like steel while they awaited their command for action. The moment he had been waiting for was now upon them: SeeD stood ready to fight against the powerful Galbadian Army, once again, led by the brave and confident young Commander Leonhart. All of them, naïve as they were, would instantly be swept into the tide of battle, completely unaware that their endless endeavors to defend their home were pointless, nothing more than a clever ruse to distract them from the true intent. By the time Commander Leonhart's Army would realize the truth, it would be too late, especially considering there was a card that had yet to be put into play. Galbadia's special weapon, the crucial, final piece of the plan, still stood in wait, the exact moment of use slowly approaching. It was all just as he had imagined, a plan crafted perfectly in the mind of the sly president. A smirk formed on his face, Deling already able to sense the sweet taste of victory at the mere thought.

"It's showtime." he said, an amused look on his face.

* * *

Charging through a heavy, metal door, Squall and Rinoa quickly made their way through the halls of Garden as the moment of battle neared. Hand in hand, the SeeD led the raven-haired sorceress down a long, empty corridor deep in the recesses of the school. It was an area unfamiliar to Rinoa, the whole of the vicinity bearing a dark, almost damp appearance. It was much like the MD Level in a way, but a bit more dull and chilling, the sight sending a brief shiver down the sorceress' back as they continued forward.

Finally arriving at their destination, Rinoa watched as Squall rapidly inputted a code into a keypad and a door suddenly slid open beside them.

"Get in." he muttered. He sounded almost stern, managing nothing more than a quick glance at her as he had spoken.

Without a word, Rinoa hurried inside, the monotonous appeal of the place immediately grabbing her attention. It really did appear to resemble a prison of sorts: the air was cold, the walls and floor a solid, grey color, and a small bed sat against the back. The only source of lighting was a single, luminescent lamp that hung tightly from the ceiling. The whole room emitted an eerily desolate scene.

For a moment, she hesitated, nearly reconsidering her earlier words. When she had requested to be locked up, she had no idea that Squall would take it so literally. She had thought he may put her in one of the dorms with tight security outside her door – she had never imagined she would be put in complete solitude deep under Garden.

Still, she couldn't exactly complain. This was what she had asked for, begged Squall to do, and though he had clearly been disinclined, he had still merely given her what she had wanted. She couldn't afford to go back on her word - this truly was the best way to keep herself, and everyone else, safe from the danger she now posed. As long as she was tucked away, safe and tight, nobody else would suffer because of her.

"Squall." she said, turning around to face him with an apologetic look in her eyes.

Squall didn't respond as he stood in the doorway, dropping his head at the sound of her voice and closed his eyes just before shutting the door between them. He stood there in silence for a moment, a look of utter regret forming on his face as he placed his palm on the door and hung his head. He hated himself for what he had just done. While he was certain no one could find Rinoa down here, just the thought that he had actually chosen to conform to her order filled him with resent and shame. He felt like he was abandoning her, a thought that brought an unshakable sense of guilt over the SeeD towards such an action. It was the one thing he had told himself, and her, that he would never do – and he could only wonder what had happened to make him go against that promise. He couldn't believe he was actually going through with it, but it was what she had suggested, after all - and despite every instinct telling him otherwise, he had found himself unable to deny her request. So long as she was down here, locked behind those solid, steel doors, she was safe – he had to believe that. It was the only thing that prevented him from opening them back up and yanking her out again.

"_...Take care of yourself."_ he begged in his head, curling his fingers into the cold doors.

He then tore off down the hall without looking back, leaving Rinoa behind as he quickly began making his return to the main floor.

* * *

Outside, the battle between SeeD and Galbadia was now officially about to commence. Commander Caraway kept a straight face, his back still turned towards his troops as he raised his hand in anticipation of the moment and the soldiers immediately braced to attack.

Deling couldn't help but grin at the sight below his window as he felt his stomach jump with excitement, knowing they were now only moments away from the final phase of his plan. He stared out at Caraway keenly, watching in delight as the Commander threw his hands out and the army immediately began their onslaught without hesitation.

"Attention, soldiers," Deling commanded, his voice ringing in their ear pieces, "I want the sorceress! I don't care what it takes. Take them down, kill them, if you must, but bring me that girl!"

The soldiers silently obeyed the president's command as they descended upon Balamb in droves. Meanwhile, Deling watched the scene unfold with great arrogance, a faint laugh emitting under his breath as he glanced at Odine.

"Sit back and watch, Doctor," he said, smugly, "The fun is just beginning."

* * *

Immediately upon landing, the Galbadian Army charged towards the front gate in a massive swarm. The students of Garden stood in opposition of the relentless soldiers, led by Zell and Selphie who stood at the head of the group, both holding their weapons prepped to fight as they stared ahead at the oncoming army. Zell smacked his fists together in anticipation of the imminent struggle, a smirk forming on his face as he could feel the adrenaline start to flow through his body already.

"Here they come!" he hollered.

They all stared ahead intently at the massive wave of soldiers rushing toward them. Seeing they were indeed vastly outnumbered, some of the students could feel their nerves rattling and their hearts pounded heavily in their chests from the intensity of the moment. However, upon glancing at Zell and Selphie, the determined look in the SeeDs' eyes and their bravery in the face of battle, especially with soldiers far more advanced than them, the students were able to shake off their doubts and hesitations. This wasn't the time to let fear grab hold; the moment to run away had passed. Though it was certain to be a tough fight, with Zell and Selphie's courage and leadership, and Squall's strength and command, they knew there was at least a chance. It was now or never. With Squall's words ringing in their ears and the soldiers closing in drastically, they regained their confidence, standing behind Zell and Selphie as they braced for the massive onslaught.

"Stand your ground! We can do this!" Zell shouted over the students.

He glanced at Selphie, the petite, young woman bearing an intense, almost spiteful expression in contrast to her usually chipper and friendly disposition as she held her Nunchaku tight. She glanced towards Zell, nodding her head in agreement with his words before looking ahead again, eyeing the Galbadian soldiers with a surprising ferocity.

The soldiers finally breached the threshold of the entrance to Garden and the battle instantly ensued. Swords swung violently while the sound of bullets echoed through the first floor hallways and spells flew through the air, chaos erupting in seconds as both armies fought their hardest to take each other down.

His blood pumping rapidly from the intense struggle, Zell was fueled with undying energy. He swung his fists hard, taking out a Galbadian soldier with one blow and immediately struck down another that attempted to charge him. He then jumped into the air, performing an aerial double-kick and knocking down a third one.

"Yeah, baby!" he cheered, arrogantly, "Bring it on!"

A few feet away, Selphie followed her rambunctious friend's antics: swinging her Nunchaku swiftly, she whipped a Galbadian soldier hard in the face, knocking him off his feet. She then proceeded to whirl her weapon over her head once in a rapid motion, stretching it out again to smack another to her right in the same fashion. Sensing an attack from behind, she immediately switched hands, turning halfway around before unleashing a wide blow to her left and taking down another adversary.

* * *

Over at the Quad, the battle was no less chaotic. Hundreds of paratroopers descended upon the area endlessly, while the students below did their best to prevent them from setting a single foot on ground. From powerful thunder spells to vicious fire spells, and the sound of guns ringing in the air, they maintained their defensive priorities while asserting a decent offensive strategy as they worked to bring down the soldiers as fast as possible.

Irvine Kinneas valiantly led the charge. In hopes of catching the soldiers off-guard, he had climbed atop the stage structure and now fired consecutive shots at the invading army while managing to maintain his balance. With each shot fired, he immediately pumped the gauge and initiated another one, his superior marksmanship showing brilliantly through his flawless execution and timing.

Seeing their assault was hindered by the opposing students, and angered by such audacity, the Galbadian soldiers promptly proceeded to fire back with their weapons while they continued to approach the ground.

Due to their high numbers, the army was exceptionally difficult to defeat. While some were successfully shot down in the crossfire, any whom managed to touch down immediately proceeded to continue on foot, running boldly and quickly with weapons in hand as they charged towards the students aggressively.

With each Galbadian taken down, two more students fell, the Garden rapidly consumed further by complete bedlam as both sides struggled greatly to achieve victory.

Seeing his efforts were becoming less effective as the battle continued aground, Irvine quickly jumped to the stage below to continue his rapid assault. Now at closer range, he assisted the students by easily picking off the opposing army with a single shot each. His heart beat frantically, the sniper fueled with adrenaline, and anger from his fallen comrades, as he worked quickly to take down the Galbadian soldiers.

"Damn! This is endless!" he muttered to himself, "Squall, where the hell are you?"

* * *

Squall finally returned to the main floor of Garden, rushing off the elevator as soon as the doors opened only to be greeted by complete disarray. Stretching out as far as he could see, the chaos that was the battle between Garden and Galbadia covered the whole floor before him. Students and soldiers fought hard and valiantly, both sides using all of their strength and ability to bring each other down. Fighters stood in gridlock, their weapons clashing against one another in a heated struggle, neither side willing to give up; a firaga spell trailed heatedly along the ground towards its target, exploding in a massive burst of fire as it struck a Galbadian soldier - and in another area, a missile was fired into the crowd just before detonating a powerful blast that sent several students ricocheting through the air.

In the midst of it all, Squall caught a glimpse of Zell and Selphie, both caught in the endless battle as they fought tirelessly, side by side with the other students to protect themselves and each other. It truly was a harrowing conflict, a battle that amounted to numerous casualties in nearly an instant for both sides.

Squall could only stare and watch in shock at how fast it had intensified, the SeeD momentarily stricken with guilt for having not been there sooner to assist his comrades.

A Galbadian soldier swung his sword at Zell, the SeeD quick to respond by crossing his arms in front of his face and holding back the attack. Glancing back, he took notice of Squall, a look of gratitude and delight coming over his face while he stood in tight gridlock with the opposing soldier.

"Yo! Squall!" he shouted loudly over the ruckus, "A little help here?"

"Huh?" Squall asked, snapping out of his morose phase as he lifted his head towards Zell.

The blond finally managed to garner enough strength and immediately shoved the Galbadian soldier off of him, doing his best to stay ahead of the game as he continued to be overwhelmed by the enemy.

"_Right."_ Squall thought, nodding his head in understanding.

Without another thought, he immediately whipped out his Lionheart and proceeded to rush headlong into the battle, joining up with his friends as he now entered the ever-intensifying conflict.

He rushed toward a single soldier, jumping high into the air as he lifted his gunblade above his head and brought it down hard on the adversary. The soldier was immediately knocked off his feet and Squall proceeded to perform a double blow: slashing once to his right, hard, and then quickly unleashed another blow to his left, taking down two more enemies.

"Where the hell have you been, man?!" Zell yelled between blows, "It's been hell in here!"

"Forget about it, I'm here now." he replied, a bit angered by the SeeD's remark.

At those words, he swung his gunblade as hard as he could, taking down three soldiers at once with a single, powerful strike.

"Where's Rinoa?!" Zell asked, remembering he hadn't seen her since the battle started, or heard her name in the announcement.

Squall's face dropped at the blonde's question, the young Commander briefly consumed with anger and shame again, as he thought about Rinoa deep below Garden, sitting in solitude while she waited for him to return. His emotions towards the matter, and Zell's prying, only fueled him with more stamina and strength and he began beating out his aggressions on any oncoming soldiers daring to challenge him.

"Don't worry about it, she's fine." he said, sternly, having just struck down another soldier.

"Squall! Incoming!" Selphie shouted, alarmingly.

Squall and Zell looked ahead to see fighters clearing out of the way as three soldiers came riding up on motorcycles at rapid speed. Their faces and teeth clenched, the soldiers stared ahead intensely at Squall and his friends as they rode straight towards them.

The trio stood side by side, each ready to continue fighting as the soldiers drew nearer every second. Squall stared ahead fiercely, his Lionheart held tight by his side as he prepared to strike, his eyes meeting those of the leading soldier as they burned with a heated intensity.

"On my mark!" he ordered.

Zell and Selphie nodded in unison and they all waited for the enemy to get close enough. Students and soldiers continued to clear the way as the bikers continued towards the trio, the distance between the teams closing rapidly as both prepared for the moment of contact.

"NOW!" Squall shouted.

At his words, they all three struck at once, each making contact with a different soldier as they thrust their weapons at them with all of their might, knocking the men onto the ground hard. The vehicles, now without a driver, immediately fell onto their sides and slid along the ground before crashing into a distant wall in a pile of debris.

The bikers now out of the way, the other students and soldiers closed the path again as the conflict continued at full force. Within moments, Squall, Selphie, and Zell found themselves surrounded by another wave of soldiers and continued utilizing their full skills to take them out.

In a surprising turn of events, Squall was soon caught off-guard when two soldiers grabbed him from behind.

"Squall!" Zell shouted.

The SeeD didn't respond, or fret – instead, proceeding to lift his legs and kick the single soldier back. Then, breaking free of the others' grasp, he quickly turned around and thrust his gunblade at them with another powerful blow, taking both out at once.

* * *

From his spot in the Galbadia Garden Headmaster's office, Deling stared outside again, watching with an eerie pleasure at the sight of Squall fighting beside his troops. How hard and determined the SeeD fought, yet still maintaining such great confidence and stamina was quite intriguing to the malevolent president, the whole display only making him feel more confident about the success of their plan. Everything was coming together exactly as he had envisioned – if not, better. With Squall so distracted by the battle alongside his comrades, there was no one to stop him from obtaining the final key in his endeavors. Galbadia's victory, and the fall of SeeD, was finally upon them.

"Well, it looks like our dear Commander Leonhart has finally decided to join the fray," he sneered, "I hope you are enjoying the show, Doctor; the best is yet to come."


	22. Turn the Tide

**Phenomenon**

**Turn the Tide**

While her friends continued fighting the endless horde of Galbadian soldiers, Rinoa remained tucked away, deep below. She sat quietly on the bed of her small room, her hands cupped together just above her knees while she hung her head. Despite her request for such, truthfully…she hated being locked away. It was so quiet and lonely, almost eerily so, and the lingering chill in the cell left her acutely uncomfortable. She hadn't really wanted this for herself - she had only made the decision in order to protect everyone else from the potential danger they faced in her presence. Now, trapped down here behind steel doors, she just felt so useless – and a part of her began to regret such a choice.

She thought about her friends back up above, caught in the endless tide of battle as they worked together to defeat the Galbadian Army. She hated that she had no way of knowing how they were faring. Were they all okay? Were they worried about her? What exactly was going on up there right this moment? These questions lingered in her head, the raven-haired sorceress able to do little more than wonder about their well-being. She wished she could be up there, fighting the Galbadian soldiers alongside them in defense of their home – but, it just wasn't possible. Even if she could manage to get out, she would only succeed in putting them in further jeopardy – and she couldn't bear the thought endangering them like that. As long as she risked losing control again, it was best she stay locked up…for their sake.

She sighed heavily under her breath at the whole situation, closing her eyes as she slumped her head further.

Suddenly, the doors to her cell were blasted open, and Rinoa immediately yanked her head up to find three Galbadian soldiers standing before her.

"Huh?" she gasped, her eyes widening at the sight.

Without a word, the soldiers stepped forward through the dissipating smoke and grabbed hold of her tight. Rinoa fought to escape their grasp, but her attempts proved futile as their combined strength was far too great for her to match. They quickly pulled her out of the room and headed back down the long hall, the fear-stricken sorceress still struggling to break free as they made route back to the main floor.

"Let go of me!" she screamed.

"We've got the sorceress, and we're heading back your way." one soldier announced.

Rinoa's eyes got wide as she looked up at the soldier, an expression of absolute terror coming over her face as they continued dragging her off.

* * *

The battle between Garden and Galbadia raged on, Squall, Zell, and Selphie still leading the charge as they continued fighting alongside one another. Despite their prowess and effort, however, progress remained indefinite. With every wave of enemies they defeated, more would appear to take their place, the influx of soldiers appearing boundless as Garden remained a tumultuous war-zone from the undying struggle.

As time passed, the conflict became harder to endure as the casualties continued to amount on both sides. Though Garden had a sufficient amount of troops, they lacked the advantage of reserves - and as more of their allies fell, Squall and his friends were forced to expend further energy in order to hold off the endless horde of soldiers. With their fatigue slowly catching up to them, and their numbers now greatly reduced, the trio couldn't help but begin to wonder exactly how much longer they could last.

"They just keep coming!" Zell stated, as he took out another enemy, "This is crazy!"

Squall didn't respond as he quickly struck down another soldier, the SeeD still unwilling to give up in spite of their current status. Even though the battle now looked bleak and they were considerably overwhelmed…he had no intentions of quitting until he drew his last breath.

He fought his fatigue, drawing all the energy he could muster as he continued to fight off the Galbadian Army beside his friends.

"Anyone got an idea?" Zell asked, a tone of desperation in his voice.

Taking his words into consideration, a smile formed on Selphie's face before she proceeded to raise her Nunchaku into the air.

"Quezacotl!"

Instantly, an enormous bird that appeared to be formed entirely from lightning appeared above the battlefield, its great wings thundering with each flap while its loud cry pierced the air as it made its entrance.

Wasting no time to assist its petite summoner, Quezacotl released multiple bolts of lightning towards the mob of soldiers before finally unleashing a massive, final blast that covered the area. The powerful, thunderous attack easily wiped out numerous Galbadian troops, instantly clearing the floor before the trio.

Its task done, Quezacotl flew higher into the air before disappearing from the scene, leaving the battle to Selphie and the others once again.

"Alright, Selph!" Zell cheered, jumping into the air in ecstasy.

However, the moment was short-lived when more soldiers quickly surrounded them. Completely overwhelmed, and their fatigue rapidly catching up to them, the three friends stared at the opposing troops in alarm as they slowly backed up together.

"Oh, come ON!" Zell shouted in annoyance, "Don't these guys ever give up?!"

Neither Squall nor Selphie gave any response as they continued backing away from the swarm of soldiers. Now, standing with their backs toward the stairs to the elevator, the SeeDs found themselves cornered. If they continued to fight, they would almost certainly succumb to their fatigue and be eliminated by the Galbadian Army. However, if they ran, they would be abandoning their remaining forces and risk being pursued, making such endeavors pointless anyhow.

Considering their options profoundly, and in spite of their situation, Squall still wasn't willing to accept defeat. He strengthened his grip on his gunblade, bracing to fight again as he glared at the troops before him.

"_Squall! Report to the Bridge on the double!"_ Nida's voice rang out over the intercom.

"_Dammit!"_ Squall yelled in his head, gritting his teeth.

Squall glanced from Zell to Selphie, the two SeeDs standing ready to carry on alongside him despite the odds, and their clear lack of energy. For a moment, he was torn. He hated to leave them in such a tight situation. They were barely holding on as it was – if he were to leave, he feared he might instantly invite their downfall. Though they were skilled fighters, it was clear to him that they were nearly standing on their last leg – and he couldn't bear the thought of knowingly sending them to their demise.

Still, at the same time, he also couldn't ignore the urgency in Nida's voice. While unable imagine what the problem might be, it was evident that the situation they faced was also dire – and he was instantly burdened by an image of Quistis and the others being overrun by the enemy. While he didn't see how the Galbadian Army could have infiltrated the Bridge, he still couldn't bring himself to overlook the possibility of such. The battle so far had been an intense and chaotic struggle, and notable proof that anything could happen.

His heart thumping heavily in his chest from the pressure and confliction he felt, Squall finally managed to come to a decision. Glancing from Zell to Selphie one last time, he closed his eyes in a gesture of apology before turning around and tearing off towards the elevator.

"SQUALL!" Zell and Selphie shouted, his sudden departure leaving them in a state of shock.

Squall didn't reply as he quickly boarded the elevator and made his way to the third floor, leaving Zell and Selphie to deal with the relentless army.

* * *

Up on the third floor, Quistis, Xu, and Nida fought against the platoon of soldiers that had made their way towards the Bridge. Despite being somewhat outnumbered, the trio managed to hold their own as they fought side by side, working together to defeat the small, yet relentless opposition.

Quistis whirled her whip above her head in a helicopter-like fashion before lurching it forward, smacking a Galbadian soldier in the face and he fell onto the floor. A few feet away, Xu and Nida combined their efforts in attempt to outwit the enemy: Xu heaved her Shaken into the midst of the platoon, only for the soldiers to quickly, and easily, dodge the star-shaped weapon. Before they could strike again, however, Nida immediately conjured up a blizzaga spell and cast it toward them. The spell burst in an explosion of ice, knocking some soldiers back while the shards pierced others.

With only a few remaining now, the three SeeDs prepared to finish the job as the soldiers hurried towards them. However, their assault was immediately halted when Squall arrived. Rushing off the elevator just as the doors opened, the SeeD Commander immediately jumped into the air, lifting his Lionheart before crashing down on top of the troops and took them out with a single, mighty blow.

"Thanks, Squall." Quistis said, nodding her head in gratitude.

"How's it going down there?" Xu asked, a tone of concern in her voice.

Squall folded his arms at her question, turning his head away as he thought about Zell and Selphie still struggling in the chaos below. Their fatigue was surely getting the best of them by now and he knew they couldn't last much longer. He hadn't wanted to leave them behind – he just hadn't been able to so willingly discount Nida's desperate plea, a fact that he was rather displeased by in this particular instance. He was briefly consumed with disgrace and regret towards his decision as he wondered how they might be faring at this moment.

"…Not so good," he mumbled, "Zell and Selphie are doing their best to help hold off the soldiers, but…"

The SeeDs didn't reply, dropping their heads in understanding of his remark.

The elevator doors opened again, and the trio was surprised to see Zell, Selphie, and Irvine come running into the room. They were out of breath, and nearly exhausted from all of the fighting as they made their way towards the others.

"What's going on?" Squall asked, a bit worriedly.

"Sorry, Squall. There are just too many," Zell replied, "We've depleted their numbers by a decent amount, but they just keep coming. We can't keep doing this."

Squall looked away at his words, folding his arms again as he stared towards the floor, unable to accept the situation. It was an exact replay of the prior year. Despite their best efforts, and even a change in strategy, it hadn't been enough – the Galbadian Army still overwhelmed and overpowered the students and SeeD with relative ease. Now, their forces had been greatly diminished and they found themselves backed into a corner once again, the remaining students fighting their hardest to push back the opposing soldiers with very little effect. It was a major blow to his previous confidence, the SeeD now consumed with defeatism. It was he who had come up with the strategy and encouraged all of Garden to fight a battle that they weren't completely prepared for – and now, countless students had fallen under his Command, again. He could only blame himself for the whole predicament.

"There's got to be something…" Quistis said, an assuming tone in her voice as she looked at Squall.

Squall didn't respond as he continued standing there in silence, contemplating the whole ordeal in his head.

"Squall, the soldiers have Rinoa!" Nida shouted from the Bridge.

Squall's eyes immediately widened at the SeeD's words, a look of shock and alarm quickly coming over the Commander as they all immediately hurried to the Bridge.

Upon entering the next room, Squall and the others stopped in their tracks when they were met with an unexpected, and confounding, sight. There, behind Galbadia Garden, was another object all-too familiar to them: a colossal, rectangular-shaped box standing about two miles high. It was a near solid-grey color and bore the Esthar symbol at its front as it slowly floated up to the scene. Even at a distance, it dwarfed both Gardens with its menacing size while it loomed overhead, continuing to encroach upon the battlefield as it made its way up alongside the opposing base.

They were all thunderstruck by the sight of it, completely speechless as they stared up at the monstrous structure in bafflement.

"Is that Lunatic Pandora?!" Zell shouted, "What the hell is that thing doing here?!"

"Okay, now this is _really_ getting crazy." Irvine commented, his eyes still fixed on the massive object.

Squall continued gazing up at the colossal device in silence, ignoring the words and concerns of his friends while his eyes remained locked on the Esthar symbol. He didn't know what was going on, didn't know what Deling and Odine were up to or how Lunatic Pandora fit into the picture – but, he also didn't care right now. Galbadia had Rinoa - and had most likely taken her inside.

He clenched his teeth, anger consuming him from the whole ordeal. While he was furious at Galbadia for taking Rinoa, he was filled with resent towards himself as well. It was all his fault this had happened in the first place. Letting emotion win him over, he had gone against his better judgment; willingly leave her behind in a time of conflict while knowing the risk of such actions. It was exactly as he had feared, and now…Rinoa was in the hands of the Galbadian army, bringing about the very event he had been trying to avoid. If he had just gone with his instinct and kept her by his side, this never would have been able to happen. He could only blame himself for the incident, spite taking over the SeeD Commander as he balled his fist tight at his side. He had to rescue her – that was the only thought on his mind.

"It doesn't matter!" he said, loudly, turning towards his friends, "Our plans have changed. We've got to save Rinoa!"

They all stared at him in wonder, an expression of surprise and disbelief coming over their faces at his words. They could understand his logic and fears – and while they were worried about Rinoa, too, they couldn't imagine how Squall could so easily dismiss the issue the scene presented them. With Lunatic Pandora's inclusion in the matter, Galbadia could only intend for one thing: to initiate the Lunar Cry, the phenomenon that calls a massive influx of monsters down from the moon and wreak havoc on Earth. Though they were still at a loss as to why, it was evident that they faced a much bigger problem than they could have ever anticipated. Sure, they wanted to save Rinoa – her safety mattered to them, too. But, at the same time, if they didn't do something about the colossal weapon…their experience from the prior year had taught them things would only get worse.

"Squall, we know how important Rinoa is to you and all, but…" Irvine said, nervously, "Don't you think you're letting your emotions cloud your better judgment? If we don't do something fast, we're going to have a lot bigger problems than getting Rinoa back."

Squall looked away at his remark, folding his arms in anger as a scowl formed on his face. He knew the issue they faced – he wasn't stupid enough to take the Lunatic Pandora lightly after everything they had been through the first time.

Nevertheless, he couldn't help but be a bit irate under the circumstances. Rinoa was in danger, held captive by the Galbadian Army for reasons still not understood…and they didn't seem to care one bit. While he, too, would admit that the device's presence certainly meant trouble, that didn't give them the right to put Rinoa aside as if she didn't matter. She wasn't expendable – she was one of them. For people who claimed to care about her, they sure had a funny way of showing it.

Still, despite his emotion, he couldn't entirely blame them - they did have a point, after all. If they went to rescue Rinoa and ignored the threat the Pandora elicited, they would allow for the Lunar Cry to occur and leave their comrades to deal with the substantial influx of soldiers and monsters. In this situation, and with their forces' current condition, the event practically guaranteed their downfall. He could never do such a thing to them, especially knowingly.

He shook his head at the whole situation, a heavy sigh emitting as he looked toward the others again.

"Rinoa is most likely inside Lunatic Pandora," he stated, "Once I can rescue her, maybe we can find a way to keep the Lunar Cry from happening. If it has the ability to induce the event, maybe it has the ability to halt it. It may not be likely, but it's worth a shot."

They all stared back at him for a moment before exchanging looks of concern, hesitant to comply with his suggestion.

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Squall?" Quistis asked, begging him to reconsider, "What if it's a trap? There could be hundreds of soldiers waiting in there for you. You'll never be able to defeat them all on your own."

Squall emitted a light scoff, brushing off her concerns. He was well aware of the risk he was taking by entering Lunatic Pandora alone, but the thought didn't faze him in the least. All he cared about was finding Rinoa and getting her out of Galbadia's clutches as fast as he could – and the fact that he, too, was now familiar with the layout had only bolstered his confidence that he could pull it off. Besides, with all of the frustration and aggression he harbored…any soldiers he may run into would be rather unfortunate to mess with him.

"Let _me_ worry about that," he said, "In the meantime, you guys sneak aboard Galbadia Garden and find Deling. He should be hiding out in there somewhere."

"But, the Garden is their base," Selphie remarked, abruptly, "They might have more soldiers inside – and we couldn't possibly take on their army with just us four, even if we are SeeDs."

Zell sighed heavily at her words as he dropped his head in defeat.

"Man..." he muttered, dispirited, "At this rate, it would take a miracle for us to pull this off."

Squall folded his arms again in frustration while the others now dropped their heads, silence quick to fill the area as they contemplated their situation for a moment.

Suddenly, the silence was shattered in an instant when they heard a loud ruckus outside that sounded like heavy, rapid gunfire. Looking out the window before them, they were surprised to find a Ragnarok airship flying through the air at high-speed towards their Garden. As it made its way towards them, it proceeded to unleash an endless barrage of bullets into the battle below, taking out numerous Galbadian soldiers in seconds.

"What's going on?" Zell asked, "Who the hell is that?!"

The doorway of the airship opened and Esthar soldiers immediately descended into the battle.

"Esthar!" Nida exclaimed, both delighted and surprised by their sudden appearance.

They all watched in awe for a moment as the Esthar forces joined the chaos below alongside SeeD, fending off the Galbadian soldiers in the unending battle. They fought with diligence, yet displayed superior battle prowess as they took out the opposing soldiers with incredible precision, and relative ease.

The presence and support of their ally strengthened the morale of the Garden forces - and regaining their stamina, the students took up their weapons once more and continued the fight against Galbadia. Despite their lack of numbers, the combined strength of SeeD and Esthar was enough to overpower some of the Galbadian forces - and within moments, the seemingly hopeless battle became alight once more.

"Come on!" Squall commanded.

He and the others quickly departed from the Bridge, leaving Xu and Nida alone as they rushed towards the elevator. Before they could get below to rejoin the comrades, however, the doors to the elevator opened and the SeeDs were greeted by the sight of Laguna, Kiros, and Ward.

"Heya, guys!" Laguna said, cheerfully, "Good to see ya' again!"

Squall didn't respond, instead, closing his eyes in agitation. In a sense, he actually was relieved to see Laguna, for once. The guy wasn't exactly the sharpest tack in the box, and though he still annoyed the SeeD, they were in dire need of assistance in the current conflict. Not to mention, Laguna had just done them a big favor by dispatching Esthar soldiers to take out more of Galbadia's forces - proof that Balamb's alliance with Esthar was indeed still intact. While the Esthar president wasn't exactly what he had in mind for a miracle, at least they had gotten help when they needed it most. Though he hid such emotion from the others, Squall couldn't help but feel grateful for their intervention.

Still, not being one to mingle, especially in times of crisis, the SeeD Commander kept a straight face as he looked at the president in question.

"What are you guys doing here?"

"Is that any way to greet an ally?" Kiros replied, frivolously, "We came to help – and, we have good news!"

Squall looked at the three men curiously, those words piquing the SeeD's interest right away.

"We've got the cure for Rinoa!" Laguna exclaimed, "We just need to get it to her and then everything will be alright."

Squall's face dropped at the president's words, the faint sense of hope he had momentarily felt dissipating in an instant as he fell into silence. Once again, irony reared its ugly head. Finally, they had the means to help Rinoa after all of this time…but, the current circumstances now prevented them from even reaching her. He grumbled under his breath, cursing the timing of the whole ordeal. If only Laguna had been a few minutes earlier, he couldn't help but feel this moment may have been different.

"_It's not that simple…"_

"…What's up?" Laguna asked, taking note of Squall's expression.

Squall sighed under his breath, shaking his head lightly as he looked towards the president with a forlorn expression.

"Rinoa's been captured by Galbadia," he muttered, "She's inside Lunatic Pandora right now."

"Well, let's go after her," Laguna replied, hastily, "We're running out of time! If we don't get this to her soon, it will be too late."

His words made Squall's stomach drop, striking fear within the SeeD. He had become so intent on saving Rinoa that he had nearly forgotten they were running on limited time – not to mention, he was still chastising himself for ever allowing this whole predicament to happen in the first place. This was the moment he had been waiting for. He had sworn to help her no matter what – and now that he could finally fulfill that promise, he'd be damned to let the opportunity go to waste. It was time they beat Odine at his own game.

His mind easily made up, Squall looked at Laguna intently before nodding his head in understanding.

"Alright," he said, "You guys know the drill. Let's do this."

***Author's Note* - YES, I gave Xu a weapon. She didn't appear to have one and I hated that - so, I gave her one that I felt fit her best.**


	23. Close Encounters

**Phenomenon**

**Close Encounters**

"To the Quad!" Quistis ordered, as she hurried off the elevator. The other SeeDs followed quickly behind her with Laguna, Kiros, and Ward bringing up the rear.

Though the conflict between Galbadia and Garden was still going strong, the assistance of the Esthar forces had resulted in the Galbadian Army's numbers being reduced significantly. Combining their strength with the Esthar soldiers, the students utilized all of their efforts against the opposition, the tide of battle now having shifted dramatically as the Galbadian forces continued to diminish around them.

Using this change to their advantage, Quistis and the others quickly proceeded to move around the battle as they made their way towards their intended destination. Unfortunately, their progress was immediately hindered by a small unit of soldiers that soon appeared before them, blocking the path to the Quad as they readied their weapons.

A loud clamor rang through the air over the chaos of the battle and the soldiers fell to the floor as numerous bullets pierced their skin in an instant. Looking back, the SeeDs were surprised to see Laguna with his machine gun in hand as he stared ahead towards the fallen soldiers.

"You guys go ahead. We'll help hold them off." he said.

"But, Sir Laguna!" Selphie replied, a tone of shock in her voice as she looked at the president worriedly.

Easily deducing the thoughts on the SeeD's mind, Laguna merely brushed off such concerns. He held his machine gun over his shoulder in a proud manner, a calm and confident expression on his face as he looked back at them.

"Don't worry. We'll be fine," he assured her, "We've still got a little something left in us."

The SeeDs were still reluctant to comply, their expressions unchanged as they stared back at him. Their hesitation elicited a response from the elder man, and a grin formed on his face as he gave them a thumbs-up gesture in attempt to convince them.

Seeing his mind was made up, Quistis nodded in acceptance before tearing off towards the Quad once again, the other SeeDs soon following her as they finally fled the scene of battle. Selphie took one last look back while running, the sight of Laguna and his friends turning towards the ongoing struggle filling her with fear, and gratitude. Though she had confidence in the president, she still hated to leave him behind, a part of her wanting to stay and fight at his side to ease this feeling of worry and abandonment.

Despite such concerns, however, she was unable to bring herself to deny her duty. Continuing forward, she followed the others as she stared ahead towards the Quad, holding onto her hope that Laguna and his friends really would be okay.

* * *

While his friends made their way towards Galbadia Garden, Squall hurried towards the Ragnarok to save Rinoa. With the engine started, the jets on the back slowly came to life before quickly igniting to full power and the massive airship took off through the sky within moments.

Squall stared ahead with an intense expression, his eyes fixed keenly on the Lunatic Pandora as he flew the dragon-shaped aircraft towards it at high-speed.

Upon flying over Galbadia Garden, the SeeD's eyes were instantly attracted to an unexpected sight: the Commander of the Galbadian Army stood at the front of the floating school, his stance still and calm as he appeared to oversee the battle below. Squall was instantly overcome with a sense of familiarity towards the man, and upon closer inspection was surprised to discover the identity of the leader of the Galbadian forces was none other than Rinoa's own father, General Caraway.

"_Caraway…?"_ he asked himself.

Overcome with confusion and wonder, the SeeD could do little more than ponder the elder man's presence before an expression of anger and betrayal soon formed on his face. Shaking his head in disgust at the sight, he looked forward again as he continued flying the Ragnarok towards the Lunatic Pandora.

* * *

Deling watched from the window of Galbadia Garden as Squall flew the Ragnarok overhead, the president brimming with ecstasy upon knowing exactly where the SeeD Commander was headed. Ignorant to their intentions, he was blissfully unaware that his endeavors to save Rinoa would only succeed in further fortifying Galbadia's victory. Squall had unknowingly invited his own demise with open arms.

It was all too perfect, every moment playing out exactly as imagined. Though Deling hadn't counted on the Esthar forces interfering, it was easily overlooked when he considered that they would simply be wiped out alongside SeeD in the final moments of battle, effectively bringing an end to both forces at once. It was like killing two birds with one stone. He couldn't help but laugh at the thought of how well it had all come together.

"Perfect," he sneered, "The SeeD's loyalty to his precious sorceress has led him to fall right into our trap. His naivety supersedes him."

"Ze SeeD does not know zat ze same love zat binds two together can also be used to destroy them." Odine said, in an eccentric tone.

Deling merely grinned at the Doctor's words as he closed his eyes in further elation.

"Yes," he said, "And, that's fortunate for us."

While the president stood in silence, basking in the thought of their inevitable victory, Odine's attention was suddenly drawn to a faint disturbance below. Peering out the window, the Doctor saw four individuals quickly making their way through an area above the ruckus of battle towards Galbadia Garden.

"SeeD…" he murmured, his eyes fixed absorbedly on the four figures.

Hearing that word emerge from Odine's mouth, Deling opened his eyes and looked in the direction the small Doctor was staring. Watching as the four friends hurried through the Quad, the president remained unfazed by the sight and slowly turned his head in Caraway's direction, a smirk forming on his face as an idea quickly came to mind.

"I think it's time we put our friend to better use," he said, in a sly tone, "Pawns are meant to be expended, after all."

* * *

Quistis and the others quickly ran through the Quad, all moving as fast as their legs could carry them as they rapidly approached the edge. With Balamb Garden still stationary and Galbadia Garden hovering just beyond the ledge, the blond knew they would have to jump and mentally prepared herself for the coming leap, her eyes set intently on the opposing Garden as they continued forward.

"Come on!" she shouted.

By a sudden turn of events, the SeeDs were startled when Galbadia Garden suddenly brushed against the side of their school. The impact resulted in a tremor that shook the whole of Garden, knocking Quistis and her friends off their feet and they collapsed on the ground together. The school continued to scrape against theirs and sparks flew up from below due to the clashing steel. Unable to regain their footing, the SeeDs slowly rose to all fours, able to do little more than wait for the shaking to subside.

Rapidly growing impatient, and angry at Galbadia's endless, dirty tactics, Selphie fought to stand up and slowly managed to rise to her feet after a moment. She staggered in place, her arms flailing as she struggled to regain her footing while Galbadia loomed over the edge ahead in an almost menacing fashion.

Selphie stared ahead intently, a determined look on her face as she saw Galbadia finally start to pull away from them again. Now, knowing they had only moments to spare before they missed their chance, the petite, young woman clenched her fist at her side before finally taking off towards the edge of the Quad, leaving her friends behind as they watched in alarm.

"Selphie!" Irvine hollered.

The SeeD ignored his call, her heart pounding with anxiety and anticipation as she continued running. The gap between Balamb and Galbadia expanded slowly before her as she made her way towards the point of the jump. Her mind set and her goal just ahead, the SeeD blocked out any fear – and upon finally reaching the needed spot, garnered all the strength her legs had and leapt across the widening gap towards the opposing Garden.

Upon landing, Selphie kneeled on the ground to catch herself, a grunt emerging from the young woman and she remained still for a moment. She slowly rose to a standing position, turning her head around towards her friends across the way as they stared back at her in astonishment. Without saying a word or giving any kind of gesture in their direction, she quickly looked forward again and proceeded to run towards the entrance of Galbadia Garden.

Surprised by their friend's actions, Quistis, Zell, and Irvine quickly stood up and proceeded to follow her. As a result of their delay, the distance between the two Gardens had expanded by a few more feet now, increasing the distance the trio had to jump as they made their way towards the needed point. Following in Selphie's footsteps, and eager to catch up, they prepared themselves to make the huge leap, each taking a deep breath as they finally reached the point of action.

"Geronimo!" Zell shouted, jumping across the wide gap.

Landing on the ground in the same manner as Selphie, Zell sat still for a moment as Irvine and Quistis landed behind him.

Seeing they were all now across, the three SeeDs quickly stood up and made haste towards the entrance to Galbadia Garden in pursuit of their friend.

Finally catching up to Selphie, the four of them entered the lobby of Galbadia Garden…only to stop dead in their tracks upon encountering a familiar face. Standing before them, in the center of the room, Fury Caraway stared back at them, his stance strong and confident while his face bore an eerily calm expression. He seemed unnerved by their sudden appearance, remaining completely still in their presence as if to try and block their path.

"General Caraway…?" Irvine asked, disbelief faint in his tone.

"Correction," Caraway replied, sternly, "_Commander_ Caraway, of the Galbadian Army – and you SeeDs shall not go any further."

On cue, six soldiers entered the lobby, one from either hall ahead of them and three more from the entrance, surrounding the four SeeDs in moments as they held their weapons out towards them.

"Sir, what are you doing?!" Quistis asked, completely dumbfounded by his actions. He seemed so different from the man they had met the prior year during the assassination plot. While still strong and bold, he now harbored a frighteningly cold personality, showing little to no regard towards his decision to so easily dispose of a former ally. The whole encounter had caught her by complete surprise, the blond barely able to fathom what could have possibly caused such a drastic change in the honorable man.

"What I must," Caraway replied, "Your advance would be inexcusable to Deling. I will protect my daughter at any cost."

He had a tone of shame in his voice as he spoke, his face dropping slightly upon mentioning Rinoa. Quistis and the others were only further astounded upon hearing his explanation, an expression of worry and apprehension quick to form on their faces as they stared at the man before them.

"But, that's why we're here," Selphie said, "Deling ordered the soldiers to capture Rinoa. We came to find him and put an end to this. Please, you have to let us through!"

Caraway's face immediately dropped further at her claim, a chillingly cold glare in his eyes as he spoke with a stern tone.

"Absurd! Deling wouldn't dare to double-cross me. The man gave me his word."

"You obviously don't know the guy very well," Zell replied, with a frustrated tone, "How long have you been working with him? Deling can't be trusted. You're in over your head!"

"And, your time is up, SeeDs." Caraway argued, quickly dismissing his remark.

He watched with a straight face as the soldiers now moved in to attack. Still so in awe of Caraway's sudden turnaround, the four friends could only stare at the platoon as they drew closer, the SeeDs backing up until they were finally brushing up against one another.

Zell quickly reached his peak with the whole scenario, grumbling behind clenched teeth as he balled his fist.

"Frickin' hell!" he shouted, "We don't have time for this! We've got to find Deling!"

The same thought crossing their minds at once, the four of them immediately proceeded to draw their weapons and fought off the small unit of soldiers. Taking them out in mere seconds, they then looked at Caraway intently, the Galbadian Commander merely staring back at them with the same expression.

"Look, we really don't want to have to take you down, too," Zell said, "Just get out of our way, and we'll forget this ever happened."

Caraway shook his head at the blonde's warning, still making no effort to move from his spot. Despite having bore witness to the rapid defeat of his platoon, and the SeeDs radical claims regarding Deling, the Galbadian Commander's will and loyalty remained unshaken. His own pride, and compulsion to protect Rinoa, was far too strong for him to back down so easily – even for former comrades.

He reached down at his side, his eyes remaining locked on the SeeDs before finally drawing a gun from its holster, a scowl forming on his already cold and intense expression as he pointed it towards them. He was unhesitant with his actions, his eyes showing a full intent to shoot them at any moment as he continued to stare them down fiercely.

* * *

Squall made his way through Lunatic Pandora in search of Rinoa. Much to his surprise, the whole vicinity seemed devoid of any Galbadian soldiers, the SeeD's expedition so far seeming oddly simple as he continued forward with ease. This realization only raised his suspicion, however, and he held his gunblade tight at his side while he ran, caution and alert high within him at every corner.

Following a strange sense, Squall boarded the red elevator and ascended to the highest floor of the colossal structure. His gunblade sheathed in anticipation of an assault at any time, he moved quickly along the eerie passageways as he headed towards the room where he and his friends had confronted Seifer the year before.

Upon approaching, Squall's expression dropped as rage consumed him in an instant. His weapon still clasped firmly, he prepared to strike down any soldiers before him as he charged the doors.

"RINOA!"

He stopped suddenly, surprise and disbelief on his face at the scene that greeted him. The room was completely barren, devoid of any life, friend or foe, not even the faintest indication of anyone having been present. He slowly lowered his gunblade to his side, a stern expression now forming on his face as he scanned the area carefully. Something was seriously amiss - he could feel it much more strongly now. The Lunatic Pandora was far too vacant for a facility of its size.

"_Where is she?"_

Right as he moved to take a step forward, he heard a strange, loud rumbling from the floor above him. Looking up at the ceiling in wonder, Squall immediately recalled their battle with Sorceress Adel during their previous infiltration, and he soon recognized his mistake.

"Rinoa!" he panicked.

Wasting no time to act, Squall quickly dashed out of the room and made his way to the highest point of the Lunatic Pandora: Adel's Chamber.

* * *

Quistis and the others stood silent while they eyed Caraway's gun closely, none of them willing to endanger themselves, or each other, as they remained in their positions.

"I am sorry." Caraway muttered, promptly preparing to fire.

Selphie closed her eyes tight, a squeal of fear emerging from behind the SeeD's lips as she braced herself for the end.

The sound of a gunshot rang out through the air, immediately followed by a loud shout and Selphie felt her stomach drop. Fearing the worst, she slowly opened her eyes and glanced to her left – but, her fears were quickly allayed when she discovered her friends remained untouched or scarred in any way. A sigh of relief, and a look of wonder coming over the SeeD, she then looked towards Caraway.

The Galbadian Commander now stood across from them, empty-handed, his gun lying on the floor behind him while he appeared to be staring straight ahead. Scrolling her eyes over, Selphie was shocked to see Irvine pointing his rifle at the elder man, the sniper having blown the gun out of Caraway's hands with a single shot and leaving the Commander completely defenseless.

The two men stared each other down coldly, Irvine showing a clear will to fire again if needed while Caraway retained his calm demeanor, still not willing to back down even despite the odds now working against him.

Seeing the situation was getting nowhere, and rapidly running out of time, Quistis sighed as she finally came to a conclusion.

"…Forgive me, Commander."

Though reluctant to hurt the man in any way, Quistis drew her whip – and with a single whirl and a quick swing, Caraway took a hard blow to the face, nearly receiving whiplash as he quickly dropped to the floor, dazed by the blonde's strike.

"Let's go." Quistis urged, motioning towards the hallway straight ahead.

Without another word, they all quickly took off to continue their search for Deling, leaving the debilitated Commander Caraway behind.

* * *

His heart thumping heavily in his chest, and his sense growing stronger the closer he got, Squall hurried along the narrow strip of path that led into Adel's Chamber and rushed inside.

As soon as he entered, the SeeD was met by a truly startling sight, the scene stopping him dead in his tracks again as his eyes sat fixed ahead. Rinoa stood inside Adel's Tomb, the sorceress seemingly in a deep sleep while her arms lay folded across her chest. To worsen the matter, her Angel Wings stretched out behind her on either side, a clear indication that her power had reached its peak. The SeeD was wordless in regards to the situation, staring blankly at the raven-haired girl as he slowly trekked towards her.

He put his hands on the clear surface of the tomb, lifting his head to stare up at Rinoa inside the monstrous device. Fury getting the best of him, Squall proceeded to pound on the tomb.

"Rinoa! RINOA!" he shouted, his voice getting louder with each yell.

The sorceress didn't respond, entirely unaware of the SeeD's presence as she remained in her position.

Squall dropped his head in disarray as he was instantly overrun with numerous thoughts that told him he was too late, all the while, doing his best to ignore such conceptions as he curled his fingers into the surface of the tomb. How could this have happened? How could all of their efforts have wasted away to nothing after all of this time? They had been so close. All he had to do was get her to Laguna and everything would be fine, as he had promised her continuously. It was so simple, one small task that paled in comparison to the kinds he was used to – and yet, he hadn't been able to pull it off.

Now, despite his pledge, despite his desperate haste to ensure his vow was fulfilled and ease the torture Rinoa had endured…time had still run out. In the hands of the Galbadian Army, the sorceress' power had now reached maximum – and though she was within reach, Squall had no way to get to her. This fact killed the SeeD and he stood there beating himself up inside for ever allowing any of it. If only he hadn't gone to Esthar that day, if only he hadn't so stupidly fallen for Odine's trick…none of this ever would have happened – and he wouldn't be standing here, wishing, somehow, that he could take those mistakes back. It was all because of him; he was responsible for everything – and he shook his head in anger at the whole ordeal.

"…Rinoa. I'm sorry…" he mumbled.

He kept his head down for a moment, emitting a mournful sigh when he heard a strange sound off to the side.

He slowly lifted his head again and looked to his right, finally taking notice of a peculiar, pod-like structure. Drawn in by the eerie glow it emanated, he carefully stepped towards it, his eyes fixed solely on the bizarre sight. As he drew closer, he soon realized there was the figure of what appeared to be a person housed inside, they, too, seeming to be in a heavy sleep, slumbering peacefully within.

Squall's eyes then scrolled over to a series of tubes that stretched to Rinoa's tomb, where he witnessed an odd fluid of sorts streaming from where the sorceress rested to the pod beside it.

"What is this?" he asked himself, his voice low.

Suddenly, he heard another heavy thumping and watched as the pod appeared to crack. Stepping back, Squall stared in awe as the thumping continued, the rupture continuing to expand further with each one.

Unsure of what to expect, and anxiety grabbing hold, Squall pulled out his gunblade again. Staring at the pod with a heated expression, he whirled the weapon in front of him as he moved it across to his left side before the glass finally shattered completely.

He closed his eyes, using his right arm as a shield for his face as he turned his head away.

Once the disturbance had ceased, Squall looked forward again and was greeted by a spectacle like no other, his eyes instantly widening as he stared speechlessly. It was then, in that very moment, that he finally came to understand why the Lunatic Pandora had been so empty. Quistis had been right from the start – it was all a trap.

"What the-? Who are you?!" he asked, angrily.

"Of all the stupid questions I could ask." The figure replied with a wry smirk.


	24. Rise and Fall

**Phenomenon**

**Rise and Fall**

Squall held his gunblade firmly in hand while he stood across from the figure before him. He was dumbfounded, confusion and disbelief from the déjà vu the moment had given him, leaving the SeeD all but speechless while he worked rapidly in his mind to try and understand. He wanted to believe he was dreaming, imagining this somehow – it was just too surreal to be true. But, in spite of his efforts to deny the situation, something within himself told him this was no hallucination. Just like that day in Odine's lab, however it had come to be…he had now found himself face to face with an exact duplicate of himself, once again.

"What the hell is going on here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" the clone replied, a tone of mockery in his voice, "Or, do you still not get it even with everything right in front of you?"

Squall didn't respond, curiosity at such a remark beginning to creep up on the SeeD, though he fought to hide such behind cold eyes, gripping his gunblade tighter.

The clone dropped his head onto his hand in displeasure. Here they were, the encounter he had so long awaited having finally occurred – and the original Squall was turning out to be frustratingly oblivious. He had expected more, better, from the person he had supposedly been modeled directly after. This was supposed to be the sharp-witted, powerful Commander of all of SeeD? Needless to say…this whole confrontation was turning out to be rather underwhelming so far.

"You're not too bright, are you?" he sighed, "And, you're supposed to be a leader? Sad…"

Squall continued to stare the clone down silently, tuning out the sly attempts to mislead or catch him off-guard in any way. Having been raised in the military, he had adopted a certain mentality, his years of strict training in various areas of expertise engraved deeply in his mind at a young age. He knew instantly when someone was trying to bait him, to draw out his hostility so he would act on emotion instead of with vigilance. It was a common trait amongst enemies – one that would ultimately lead those whom fell for it to defeat. He knew the scene all too well, and he wouldn't allow himself to fall for it, especially not to some wise-ass fake.

However, it was obvious to the clone what Squall was thinking, and that his words were getting to the SeeD. Though Squall may have been able to pull off the act with anyone else, he was clearly forgetting one important factor in this particular matter; and his apparent ignorance to such only left him more vulnerable. The clone knew where to strike Squall and how…and he relished in the thought as he continued to provoke the SeeD further.

"Of course, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Apparently, you'll fall for any trap far too easily."

"What are you talking about?" Squall muttered.

"Think hard now," the clone replied, "Do you really believe this whole moment is all that sudden? I know thinking isn't your strong point, but if you try hard enough…I'm sure it will come to you."

Squall's nostrils flared now and he glared at the clone fiercely, the SeeD Commander finally beginning to reach his peak with the duplicate. In the heat of the moment, his mind suddenly flashed back to that day in Odine's lab, where it had all begun, and he quickly came to understand. He had sensed it, even before they had left for Esthar, a nagging feeling pulling at him that there was something especially shady about Odine then. The doctor's sudden, odd interest in his skills and desperate plea for him to partake in his research, and the battle with the simulated replica – that should have been the biggest clue of all. When it had violently slashed his wrist, that was the moment he should have been able to put everything together. Odine hadn't been the least bit interested in his skills - he had been looking for blood; Squall's blood. He had merely needed a guinea pig, and had used the concept of battle as a subtle cover for his true intentions. It all made sense.

This revelation startled him, the young Commander unable to comprehend how he could have possibly been so ignorant up to now. Odine hadn't just been after Rinoa that day – he had also targeted Squall. With his sharp wit, the doctor had even managed to easily outsmart the brunette, using a clever divide and conquer technique to pull them all into the very positions he needed to accomplish his goal. Squall's inability to avoid battle had finally come full circle – and not only had it been used to undermine him, but Rinoa, as well. He felt so stupid, consumed with anger and resent towards himself for being so blind to it all.

He grumbled under his breath, shaking his head in defiance and cursing himself for the whole account as he gritted his teeth.

"Of course…" he mumbled to himself, "Dammit! How could I not have seen it before?"

The clone scoffed under his breath, the SeeD's response only standing to confirm the former's prior statement.

"Wow; ignorant _and_ naïve. I can't believe it took you this long to figure out," he teased, "Although, I guess I should thank you. After all, if it weren't for your foolishness, I couldn't be standing here right now. So…thanks."

Squall's face dropped at those words, anger immediately taking hold of the SeeD from the mockery made at his expense, a reaction that was a surprise to him. Usually, he could let such childish teasing and insult slide, merely brushing it off and carrying on without a second thought. Yet, for some reason, this particular instance left him oddly vexed, humiliated even; feelings he just couldn't bring himself to take lightly to. There was just something about being ridiculed by your genetic duplicate that consumed him with aggression, and the undying need to pummel it mercilessly as his eyes locked sternly on the clone.

The clone remained undeterred by the SeeD's reaction, if not only further amused as he folded his arms complacently.

"Whatever. Now you can understand, I'm sure: we're one-in-the same. Of course…we're still quite different, nonetheless."

"How do you figure?" Squall grumbled.

The clone chortled.

"Through me, all of your power and abilities are maximized. I can reach the very potential you can still only dream about. In other words: I'm you…only better."

"I don't think so." Squall rebuked, anger flaring in his eyes while he held his Lionheart out towards the clone. The blatant foe may have had his looks and confidence, but that certainly didn't mean he was better; far from it, in fact. He had taken the clone's arrogant quips for a time, but now…he had officially had enough of the constant belligerence. It was quite clear there was only room for one Squall Leonhart in this world, and he had no intentions of leaving…especially not without a fight. The ceaseless drivel stopped here. It was time the brazen wannabe finally backed up what he said.

The clone couldn't help but express the enjoyment he received from watching the SeeD tick each time he spoke. It was pathetic - so much, in fact, that it was entertaining. Squall's anger and pride had gotten the best of him, once again – he was so easily manipulated that it was actually quite stimulating. He really did have a hard time backing down from a fight…even one he was bound to lose.

"Confident as ever," the clone sneered, "But, if you're sure that's how you want it..."

Taking a long pause, he held his open palm out towards Squall and a Lionheart gunblade appeared within seconds. He gripped the holster of the weapon tight, swinging it around before going into a fighting stance that perfectly mirrored that of the SeeD Commander.

"I've been waiting for this moment," he uttered, "You think you can beat me? Let's see which one of us is truly better right now."

They stared each other down intently, the fire in Squall's eyes burning ferociously while an intense scowl formed on his face.

The clone stood across from him, calmly, his tremendous confidence still unyielding. The conceit that coursed through him reflected clearly in his eyes, stabbing at Squall's nerves and irking the SeeD to no end. The tone of mockery he bore made Squall's blood boil, fury threatening to overpower the Commander despite his efforts to restrain such high emotion. He had never felt such animosity towards a single being before in his life. He didn't care what it took, or how long; all he wanted to do was wipe that smug expression off the clone's face…for good.

Taking one last breath, he quickly dashed toward the clone, the latter doing the same in unison and their fight officially commenced, a loud clang ringing through the chamber as their weapons clashed together.

* * *

Quistis and the others hurried through the halls of Galbadia Garden, moving as fast as their feet could carry them in their search for Deling. Using the previous year as a reference, the blond female led her friends onto the second floor of the lobby, and then towards the doorway to the auditorium.

Entering the room, the group made haste towards the stairs up to where Deling stood waiting, their agility now seeming to increase from the adrenaline they felt coursing through their bodies. The moment of truth was finally here: they were finally able to confront the one responsible for all of their recent troubles – and their hearts thumped heavily in the wake of it.

"Deling!" Zell said loudly, his face clenched with anger. He stood as though ready to fight, eyes glaring at the Galbadian President.

Deling looked back at them calmly, his eyes scrolling from each SeeD member before him with an eerie smile on his face.

"SeeD. How pleasantly surprising," he sneered, "I was hoping we would get to meet before your unfortunate demise."

"That's not gonna happen, because we're here to stop you!" Zell argued.

Again, the young President was unfazed, merely appearing amused by the rambunctious SeeD's words as a spurt of laughter emerged from his lips.

"How quaint. I would expect nothing more from the likes of you – so just, so naïve. But, at this point, it seems I must convey that even _you_ won't be able to stop me."

"Wanna bet?" Zell grumbled, gritting his teeth. He clenched his fist at his side, an expression of fury sweeping over his face in an instant as he prepared to strike.

Just when he was about to make his move, however, he was intercepted by an unexpected resistance. He looked to see Quistis' arm in front of him, the female SeeD calmly holding him back. She didn't say a word, quietly holding her arm out in his path while she stared ahead towards Deling.

"What's your problem anyway?" she asked, "Why exactly do you hate SeeD so much?"

Her words struck a nerve in the previously content president like a dagger, Deling's face immediately dropping and a scowl was quick to appear. He stared at the SeeDs coldly in a manner that surpassed even that of Squall's, his body quivering faintly from the resent that suddenly consumed him.

The memories of that day instantly came rushing back to his mind, Deling clenching his teeth and pursing his eyes as he recalled the very foundation for his actions thus far. He had tried to overcome it before, tried to garner the strength he had needed to not give in to the immense emotion he had felt towards the ordeal – but, his efforts had proven futile, the Galbadian President too weak to resist, and soon overwhelmed by hatred and spite in the aftermath of the fallen.

"My father: lifelong President of Galbadia, Vinzer Deling, was a great man, a great leader with a powerful vision," he explained, "He worked tirelessly, endlessly to ensure that dream became a reality, doing what was necessary, what he must. He planned for years, carefully sorting out every step, every moment of the process until he had crafted the perfect proposal to achieve that success. Yet, on the night when it was to finally come to fruition, after all of that time and effort, he was met with an untimely demise – and his dreams, and the dreams for his country, died with him."

Quistis and the others stood in silence, listening closely to Deling's tale while the president appeared to have an emotional breakdown before them. The sight of such left them curious, confused, the SeeDs utterly wordless from such a scene as Deling continued his account.

"I did all I could to accept the situation, to accept that my father's death was just a simple misfortune, the result of merely placing his trust in the wrong person. I tried to tell myself that sometimes things happen, and you have no control over it. But, despite my best efforts, it was never enough. Galbadia had lost a great visionary, a great future…and I had lost a great father, the very man I had chosen to model myself after and follow in his footsteps one day. From then on, I swore to myself that I would defend his dream – and upon being appointed president in his stead, I began working twice as hard to make sure it was fulfilled, so that Galbadia might finally achieve the honor and recognition it deserves."

He balled his fist, squeezing it so tight that his fingers pinched the skin of his palm. He squeezed his eyes shut harder from the anger he was experiencing, his emotion growing further with each moment the recollection continued.

"But, in order to do that, first I needed to eliminate the very audacious force that saw fit to meddle in our affairs! And now, after all of this time, Galbadia's moment is finally upon us once again. With the sorceress in my possession, the final key has been obtained. Once her power has reached it's peak, it will multiply by ten times as much – and combined with that of Lunatic Pandora's, the Lunar Cry will initiate and rain down a tremendous storm of lunar beasts. And, with the dual efforts of those monsters and the Galbadian forces, their power will completely overwhelm that of SeeD – and they, and Garden, will finally be destroyed – and Galbadia will finally be able to obtain the power it has long awaited. Without SeeD to interfere, we will effectively become the most powerful nation in the world!"

Quistis and the others glanced at each other, exchanging looks of wonder and surprise at his radical claims.

"But, SeeD had nothing to do with what happened to Vinzer!" Quistis stated, "That was the sorceress' doing - she was the one responsible for the death of your father. You're directing your anger towards the wrong people!"

"But, the sorceress raised SeeD, did she not?" Deling argued, "Her guilt and blame are yours to share in the endeavor. And, now, you shall all pay for her treacherous actions, every one of you to the last!"

Even Quistis and Selphie were now fueled with anger, their faces instantly swept with a heated expression as they all glared at him.

"You won't get away with this!" Zell retorted, shaking his fist at his side. He stood ready for action, once again, the SeeD appearing as though he may tackle the maniacal president at any moment.

Quistis and Selphie imitated their friend's actions and slowly reached for their weapons, their eyes still locked hard on Deling while they prepared to engage him in combat now.

A grin formed at the edge of Deling's mouth at their remarks, another sound of laughter emitting from behind his closed lips while he stared them down smugly. It was quite the scene, almost comical even – he had worked everything out to a tee, the whole endeavor he had just openly described and was now on the verge of completion, only for it all to be intercepted – and by the very beings it was intended to destroy. While he dared to admire their determination, he was also further irritated by their clear audacity. He hadn't come this far, to this moment, only to see it all come crashing down at the hands of some overconfident children.

"I'm afraid you're already too late." he muttered.

Silence filled the room instantaneously, the three SeeDs standing side by side while they stared the president down fiercely.

"You lied to me." a voice grumbled.

Quistis, Zell, and Selphie detracted their attention towards the sudden voice to find Commander Caraway had walked into the room. He stood atop the opposite stairway, a straight-laced expression across his face while he stared towards Deling irately.

Deling kept his back towards the Commander, scrolling his eyes over to view the man in his peripheral vision. He dropped his head for a moment, a feigned sigh of disappointment at the unfortunate interruption quick to follow.

"We had a deal: I do what you said, and you promised to leave her alone," Caraway stated, "You spineless traitor! Where is she? What have you done with her?!"

Having heard all he could stand now, Deling didn't respond – instead, whipping out a gun before firing it at Caraway without warning. The bullet struck the elder man, piercing his flesh horridly as it dug itself into his abdomen.

The SeeDs stared at Caraway in horror at the event, Quistis and Selphie covering their mouths and a faint shriek emitted from the blonde. They watched as Caraway staggered in place, the shock from the predicament leaving the man unable to even speak, though he attempted to form words. Taking one final breath, he slowly glanced down at the wound, covering the area with his hand before finally collapsing on the ground.

"Caraway!" Quistis hollered.

They all ran up to him without a second thought, rushing past Deling before they dove onto the ground beside the Galbadian Commander. Caraway laid on the ground, stunned, the elder man still holding his hand over the wound, doing his best to block out the pain. His respiration was heavy, Caraway practically gasping for air and fighting to stay awake while the three friends aided him.

Carefully lifting his head, Quistis then gently cradled it on her lap while Zell and Selphie tended to the injury. Zell was careful in moving the man's hand for the inspection, the blood from the bullet's penetration seeping from the wound and over his fingers, making it rather difficult to get a good analysis on the extremity of it.

"Sir," Quistis said, trying to hide the panic and worry that suddenly overwhelmed her, "It's okay. You're going to be alright."

Caraway didn't respond, the shock from the wound still leaving him unable to utter a single word.

She glanced towards Zell and Selphie, the look on her face a clear and desperate plea for reassurance. Taking note of such heavy emotion, and spurred on by their own unwillingness to lose a friend, the two SeeDs nodded confidently in unison.

"Don't bother wasting your time with that useless fool," Deling said, "Now, you shall all bask in Galbadia's glory – and watch as your comrades fall in our great moment of triumph!"

He emitted another spurt of faint laughter from under his breath at the scene before him. The SeeDs stared up at him in astonishment and apprehension, Quistis and Selphie both holding Caraway in an upright position while Zell glared at Deling with a vicious resent.

From atop the upper balcony of the auditorium, Deling was under heavy watch by an unseen figure. The assassin sat in the shadows, watching the ecstatic, young president while attempting to position the unwitting target in perfect alignment with the scope of a sniper rifle.

"Come on…" he mumbled, "Almost got it."

He held the rifle firmly, steadying it carefully with one hand on the trigger. He only had one shot – he had to make it count. If he couldn't pull this off, he feared, this battle would never end for them. This was a second chance for him, to redeem himself, to prove that he was capable and truly worthy among his friends. Unlike the year before, he wouldn't choke this time. There was no reason to hold back and nothing standing in the way. It was a wide open shot – one bullet could end it all, just like that. Everyone had done their part well, with great valiance and valor, and now…it was all up to him. This was it. There was no room for doubt.

He took a deep breath, doubt attempting to surmount him, though he quickly fought it. He looked closer through the scope, his finger slowly pressing down on the trigger as he prepared to take the shot.

Finally, the moment of opportunity arose when Deling's laughter ceased, the president now standing still and leaving him completely vulnerable.

"Gotcha'!" he cheered, quietly, a smirk forming on his face.

With no time to lose and his adrenaline pumping fluidly, Irvine finally took his chance and pulled the trigger hard.

A loud firing sound immediately echoed throughout the room, and in his confusion, Deling turned towards the podium, his chest now exposed and the single bullet instantly pierced the Galbadian president. Killed on impact, Deling's lifeless body was forced to the ground, and he lay completely still where had stood only seconds before.

"What the…?" Zell thought aloud. He and the others sat beside Caraway, baffled by the sudden turn of events as they stared at the dead president's body.

Irvine leapt off the balcony and quickly made his way towards the others. Upon reaching the top of the stairs, he stood before his friends, looking down at Caraway in empathy when he saw the condition the elder man was in.

"Is he alright?" the sniper asked.

"He should be fine," Zell answered, "The bullet doesn't appear to have hit any vital organs. I think he'll be okay."

They all breathed a sigh of relief and Quistis glanced down at Caraway again, the man still breathing heavily as a result of the wound. He slowly lifted his eyes towards the blond, not even attempting to form words this time as his expression spoke volumes. The color of his skin had now faded to a pale color, and the blood seeping from the bullet hole had slowed to a steady pace. But, despite his current status, the stubborn Commander still fought to stay alive, refusing to lose his life from such a cowardly attempt on it, and he forced a light smile.

Quistis smiled in return, his actions eliciting a faint laugh from the SeeD as she continued caressing his head.

"Alright, we've got to get moving!" Irvine abruptly ordered, "We've still got to deal with Lunatic Pandora and stop the Lunar Cry – otherwise, all of this will have been for nothing."

They all looked at each other in alarm, the marksman's statement momentarily petrifying the trio. In all of the surprise, from Deling's assault on Caraway and Irvine's successful sniper attempt, they had completely forgotten about the Lunatic Pandora. The monstrous, floating structure was still creeping up on Garden, ready to unleash the horrifying wrath of the lunar world upon their friends at any moment. They had successfully done away with Deling, but now…they still had to find a way to fend off the final phase of his plan. Without any idea on how to do so, however, they feared their next task wouldn't be quite as easy as this one.

"Alright, let's go." Zell agreed, standing up and nodding his head.

"You guys go ahead. I'll stay here with Caraway," Quistis said, "Someone needs to keep an eye on him to make sure nothing goes wrong."

Irvine, Zell, and Selphie looked towards their friend, studying her expression carefully and silence filled the room for a moment. Quistis stared back at them, her expression calm and the determination she felt reflected evidently in her eyes. Even after Caraway had suddenly turned against them, working alongside Deling in a plot to eliminate SeeD, the gentle, young woman still couldn't find it in her to accept even the slightest chance that she may have to say goodbye. While she was used to death and had the strength to accept the notion, Caraway's status as a former ally made it difficult for her to do so with him.

Besides, he had just proven where his loyalties truly lied when he had confronted Deling before their eyes. In spite of his prior role as a newfound enemy, he was still, first and foremost, Rinoa's father – and as the sorceress was a close friend of theirs, she felt it her responsibility, her duty, to ensure nothing happened to him now…for their sake. It was a heavy burden, but one she was willing to place on herself this time.

Seeing this, Irvine and the others silently agreed, accepting her decision with a friendly nod before hurrying out of the auditorium back towards Garden.

After watching them leave, Quistis turned her attention back to Caraway, still doing her best to support the wounded man's head while she stared down at him attentively.

"Don't worry, sir, you'll be alright. I promise," she said, quietly, her voice nearly a whisper, "Just hold on a little longer. Please."

Caraway didn't respond, the Commander still lying with his head on the blonde's knees while she continued tending to him.

Quistis sat silently before lifting her head towards the auditorium doors once more, thoughts of all they had endured, everything up to the battle with Galbadia and the final moments with Deling, quickly racing through her mind. After constant stress and fret that had caused sleepless nights, they had gotten this far, now in one final race against time to completely halt Deling's vicious intentions for SeeD. This was it – it all came down to these final moments that solely depended on the efforts of her friends. She could only hope, with all she had, that they would all be okay, that Rinoa would be okay, and they could finally put an end to their troubles once and for all.

***Author's Note* - _Go with me on this. Though it's never explained in the game, I would assume Vinzer Deling did not know about Ultimecia _**_(he DID refer to her as Edea during the coronation, after all)_**_. Therefore, his son wouldn't know about her either. This would effectively cause a misunderstanding for the latter - but either way, he still would have sought revenge._**


	25. Fate and Circumstance

**Phenomenon**

**Fate and Circumstance**

Squall and the clone battled ferociously, both exhibiting considerable skill and strength in their attempts to outmatch one another. To Squall's chagrin, their struggle so far was proving to be much harder than he had anticipated…even more than the simulated one. Every action the SeeD performed, the clone met on even grounds, blocking every strike flawlessly, effortlessly, and only serving to agitate Squall further. Odine's replica may have been a challenge, but it was nothing when compared to the clone. His speed and skill were exceptional, and his strength nearly astounding – he truly was the spitting image of Squall in every way.

Still, the SeeD Commander refused to back down. Making better use of his own speed now, Squall proceeded to unleash a flurry of endless, rapid attacks, spinning and slashing at the clone continuously in attempt to outplay him. In spite of this, his efforts still proved futile, the clone easily parrying every blow, even going so far as to show-off a little by doing so from behind at times.

His back now facing Squall, the clone suddenly whirled around, performing a wide swipe at the SeeD whom quickly ducked to avoid the massive blade. While rising, Squall performed another quick spin as he lifted his gunblade over his head before bringing it down on the clone upon completion. However, the clone kept a straight face, easily reading the original's move as he blocked the attack once again.

The two Squalls stood in tight gridblock, using all of their strength in attempt to overpower the other and break the hold. Squall glared at the clone intensely, his teeth clenched and eyes bearing a look of sheer contempt and aggression. The clone merely stared back at him, his expression calm and his eyes illustrating the utmost cockiness. He loved watching the SeeD struggle - it only made their battle, and his inevitable defeat, that much more invigorating.

"Looks like I might have underestimated you, after all." he said, smugly.

"Damn right." Squall grated, his eyes still fiercely locked on the clone's.

The clone scoffed at his remark and they both simultaneously threw their weapons to the side, breaking the hold and knocking each other away. The force caused them both to spin around, staggering for a moment as they fought to regain their footing.

Upon recovering, Squall turned towards the clone only to be met with a powerful, horizontal strike that knocked him backward into a nearby wall. Squall winced upon collision, grunting from the impact before slumping on the ground.

He quickly regained his stamina, however, and lifted his head to see the clone standing over him, a wicked grin on the latter's face just before brutally thrusting his gunblade at the SeeD.

Squall speedily dodged the lethal blow, rolling out of the way as the weapon struck the wall, creating a crack from the hefty force. The SeeD Commander stared ahead with wide eyes, the massive, blue blade only inches from his face and he thought about how close a call it had been. His account was abruptly cut off when the clone took another swing at him, bringing his gunblade down on the SeeD with ruthless aggression. Forced to act quickly, Squall held his gunblade above his face, shielding himself from the blow and they went into another deadlock.

Feeling resistance, the clone bore down harder, his relentlessness fully demonstrated now as he, again, attempted to overwhelm Squall through brute force. The SeeD sat on one knee, using all of his strength to fend off the clone despite his position granting him a serious disadvantage.

Squall's desperate struggle amused the clone, the scene eliciting a faint laughter under his breath. It was rather intriguing, albeit pathetic, that Squall continued to believe he really stood a chance. Granted, the clone hadn't shown his full potential yet, but that was only because the fight would have been over far too soon otherwise – and he had, at least, wanted to give the SeeD a fighting chance, if only for entertainment purposes. It was just much more enjoyable toying with Squall before eliminating him.

Still not willing to give up despite his current status, Squall kept fighting to counter the clone's force. Mustering all of the strength he had, he gave a mighty heave and finally pushed the clone back, quickly rising to his feet in the process and stared towards the duplicate irritably.

* * *

Irvine, Selphie, and Zell returned to the Bridge in a matter of minutes, rushing to meet up with Nida in time. Upon finally arriving where the Garden pilot waited, they wasted no time in their endeavors, getting straight to the heart of the matter in hopes of successfully avoiding the impending catastrophe.

"Nida!" Zell said, hastily.

The SeeD pilot and Xu both looked at the trio in wonder, their apparent urgency and sudden appearance leaving the two momentarily confused.

"What's up?" Xu asked, "Where are Squall and Quistis?"

"You mean Squall's not back yet?" Irvine asked, hoping he had somehow misheard.

However, his hopes were instantly abolished when Xu and Nida shook their heads. The reaction instantly confounded the SeeDs, concern quick to surmount them and they looked at one another in shock. If anything, they had almost certainly expected Squall and Rinoa to have returned already. Squall was the best fighter of all of SeeD, confident and courageous beyond a doubt and willing to take on anything to accomplish what was needed. There was no doubt in his mind that he could save Rinoa, and he had been willing to infiltrate Lunatic Pandora alone to do so. However, given these very facts, that neither of them had yet returned left a sinking feeling in the SeeDs' stomachs, a faint spark of worry ignited deep within as they could only imagine what might have happened.

Nevertheless, they couldn't afford to dwell on the matter too long. Lunatic Pandora was nearly on top of Garden, preparing to release an endless horde of monsters down upon them if they didn't act fast. Squall knew what he was doing and wouldn't stop until he had reached his goal, especially if it was to rescue Rinoa, and he did know his way around the massive structure by now. With any luck, maybe he and Rinoa were already working on a way to prevent the disaster. Right now, they had much bigger problems to worry about – and they knew Squall would agree.

"It doesn't matter," Zell said, abruptly, "You need to mobilize Garden! We have to get out of here before we're overcome with monsters!"

Xu and Nida were startled by his sudden claims, their reactions expressing apprehension and further bewilderment. They glanced at each other quickly before turning their attention out the front window of the Bridge towards Lunatic Pandora. The colossal structure loomed overhead, almost completely obstructing their view as it continued drifting towards their Garden menacingly.

Seeing it up so close for the first time, Nida and Xu were now able to really take in its appeal. In spite of the device's plain appearance, its sheer size alone more than made up for such. It was so intimidating, frightening even, and the very sight sent a faint shiver down their spines as they stared up at it speechlessly.

Needing no further convincing, Nida quickly turned his attention to the navigation system and attempted to set the Garden to mobilize. To his surprise, however, nothing happened. The controls didn't respond and Garden remained stationary.

"What?" he thought aloud.

Believing he may have made a mistake somehow, he attempted to try again…but, his endeavors were futile again as the controls still refused to respond in any way. He was at a loss, the odd predicament causing shock and disbelief to rapidly overtake him as he stared at the panel with a blank expression.

"What's the hold up?" Irvine asked.

"I don't know. It's not working." Nida answered. There was a tone of panic in his voice now, the SeeD trying to remain calm, but unable to fully contain his feelings towards the matter. He kept his back to them as he had spoken, still unwilling to accept the unexpected turn of events as he tried numerous methods in attempt to move Garden.

Zell, Selphie, and Irvine exchanged looks of wonder and doubt.

"Let me see that." Zell uttered, stepping forward.

Abruptly taking over, the blond casually forced Nida out of the way and took control of the operation. Also certain the SeeD pilot had made some kind of error, Zell proceeded to perform the same methods as his comrade in order to move Garden. Unfortunately, his attempts yielded the same result. Even after multiple tries, the school still remained in its position, only resulting in Zell becoming increasingly frustrated by the whole endeavor.

"Come on! What the hell is wrong with this thing?" he grumbled.

"Maybe it was damaged somehow?" Selphie asked, innocently.

Zell was quick to brush off such a concept, shaking his head in denial.

"There's no way. Someone would have had to have tampered with it personally, and no one in Garden would do that - and Galbadia never got the opportunity."

Her notion shut down, Selphie went quiet again, silence consuming the area as they all thought on the potential problem for a moment. Galbadia had failed when they had attempted to access the Bridge, their efforts halted at the hands of Quistis, Xu, and Nida - and it had only been a year since Garden had been mobile, so there was no way it could be too outdated.

Zell then glanced back towards Lunatic Pandora again, a curious expression on his face as he stared up at the massive structure. Was it possible that it somehow had an effect on Garden's navigation? It seemed unlikely, but he couldn't deny that it _was_ rather interesting how they had never had any problems with the system until now, in the presence of Lunatic Pandora. Whether mere coincidence or an unfortunate side-effect as to the structure's power, the possibility of it even being remotely true couldn't afford to be overlooked.

While he stood there, contemplating the scenario, Selphie suddenly recalled the moment they had learned of Rinoa's capture. Playing the battle over in her mind, she distinctly remembered witnessing Squall step off the elevator before joining them. Though that may have been an irrelevant detail, she was also quick to recall how angered Squall had been by Zell's constant pestering about Rinoa's sudden whereabouts. Yet, despite all of the blonde's questions, he had still felt disinclined to tell them where she was. His stern reactions and outright refusal to reveal such information even to them, had elicited some curiosity and concern from Selphie, and made it rather clear that brunette had been harboring some form of resent. While she couldn't be entirely certain, and as farfetched as it may have seemed…something inside the petite, young woman told her it may be true.

"Wait a minute! The elevator!" she said, "Maybe, amidst all of the confusion, Galbadia somehow managed to access it without us knowing and found Rinoa. That would explain why Squall was so surprised when we found out she had been captured. He must have hidden her someplace below Garden, someplace he thought they'd never find her."

They all considered her words for a moment and, in their silence, mutually agreed she had a point. The power system that allowed Garden to become mobile sat deep underneath them in Garden's MD level. If Squall had indeed hidden Rinoa down there before the battle, that would have left the system wide open for sabotage during their search for the young sorceress – and Galbadia would have certainly taken advantage. As crazy as the whole idea seemed, however, it was the only possibility that really made any sense.

"Damn it! Those bastards must have done something to the controls." Zell grated. He balled his fist tight, closing his eyes hard as he was consumed with hatred towards the Galbadian soldiers.

"Then, we need to get down to the MD level, and fast," Irvine stated, "If we don't fix the problem and get Garden moving soon, we're doomed."

Zell relaxed his stance, unclenching his fist and standing straight again as he tried to calm down. Irvine was right. Despite the immense hostility Zell harbored towards the soldiers, now wasn't the time to worry about it. They had bigger issues at hand, a truly life or death situation, and each second they delayed brought them that much closer to their demise. Right now, they had to focus on getting Garden mobilized and out of reach of the lunar beasts. Galbadia could be dealt with later – they had to save themselves before they could even consider exacting proper payback.

"Alright," he nodded, "We'll head down to the MD level and see if we can get Garden up and running again. Xu and Nida will stay here for defensive purposes, and so there's someone to steer when we finally resolve the issue."

The plan set, they all nodded in agreement and Nida returned to his position in front of the steering console.

"Okay, let's go!" Irvine urged.

"Be careful, you guys." Xu said, a pleading tone in her voice.

The trio didn't respond as they hurried from the Bridge en route to the MD level, all the while Lunatic Pandora continuing to encroach upon them.

* * *

Squall's battle with the clone was fiercer than ever, becoming increasingly more heated and difficult with each passing moment, or so it seemed. Any attack Squall attempted, the clone easily anticipated and would parry the blow with amazing precision. His footwork and swordsmanship were truly astounding, the duplicate meeting Squall's attributes perfectly and presenting the SeeD Commander what was most certainly his toughest challenge yet.

Still, the thought didn't faze Squall. His previous battle with the replica had been hard at first as well, but he had managed to emerge victorious in the end. This scenario wasn't all that different – and, while knowing better than to underestimate his adversary this time, the SeeD still had no intentions of giving up. Though the clone was clearly stronger and faster than the simulation, they both still shared Squall's mindset, a fact the original used to his advantage this time around in order to keep the duplicate on his toes.

They fought hard and intensely, alternating blows as they both repeatedly dodged each other's strikes. The clone made another wide swipe at Squall, forcing the SeeD to duck to avoid the blow. Hoping to catch him off-guard now, the clone immediately followed up with a hard swing head on. However, his assault was halted again when Squall shielded his face with his gunblade, successfully sparing himself another scar…or worse.

Staring each other down again for a second, the clone smirked again before pushing him back with his foot. Upon seeing he had now successfully outwitted the SeeD, he then quickly proceeded to unleash a mighty blow from the side. Since Squall was regaining his balance, the force of the strike knocked him off his feet and he fell to the hard floor.

As soon as he had hit, he looked up to see the clone thrusting his weapon down on him once again. With only a second to spare, and his eyes instantly getting wide, Squall swiftly rolled out of the way again, the sword just missing him as it stuck in the ground.

He quickly rose to his feet, his expression revealing his fury at the clone's second attempt to kill him.

The clone pulled his gunblade out of the floor, whipping it through the air with one hand as he eyed Squall keenly before returning it to his side. He scoffed under his breath, a smug expression forming on his face once again as he prepared to continue their duel. Squall could feel his blood boil again at the sight - it was the perfect fuel to feed the fire that raged within him. How he hated that look, so cunning, so manipulative. Nothing would make him more content than to make sure he would never have to see it again.

Glaring at the clone coldly, Squall imitated his actions: whipping his gunblade through the air to his other side, one-handed. He then whirled it around twice before bringing it to rest on his shoulder and finally charged towards the duplicate fearlessly, their heated battle continuing on.

* * *

Having finally arrived at the power source for Garden's navigation system, Zell and the others stared up at it in silence, the blond taking in the design of the structure to get a good idea of how it worked.

"So…what now?" Irvine asked. Hardly machine savvy, the sniper was at a loss on the scenario as he stared up at the complex mechanism.

Zell lowered his head and looked towards the controls for the device. Taking a deep breath, he slowly trekked forward before folding his arms in a troubled manner. He was pensive as he stood staring down at it for a moment, carefully studying the odd setup while he contemplated what to do first.

Not having much time to dawdle, though, he soon made his decision and knelt down before an odd, circle shaped device on the right. After moving the small switch beneath it, he lifted his head upward, checking the massive junction of gears for any response. However, the gears remained undisturbed, no sign of even an attempt to react to the SeeD's endeavors apparent.

Still not too troubled by the situation, Zell retracted his attention back to the controls and slowly stood up. Scrolling his eyes over to the left side of the controls, he then stepped towards them and, in what appeared to be a faint sign of desperation, proceeded to activate a quick series of switches in hopes of getting a reaction.

Unfortunately, his thoughts and hopes were dashed when the machine still remained unresponsive.

Zell's expression dropped, the blond now appearing to become somewhat anxious as his eyes fixed heavily on the complicated system.

"What are you doing?" Selphie asked, confused by the SeeD's actions.

"I thought for sure that would work." Zell mumbled. He cupped his chin gently in another pensive stance, sorting over the controls in his head once more.

Selphie and Irvine were quite troubled by their friend's antics. Garden and SeeD were on the verge of annihilation, and he acted as if everything was just fine, choosing now, of all times, to be calm and patient. It was the first time they could recall their own patience being tested. Unable to fathom what was going on in the mind of their companion, the SeeDs could only shake their heads in disbelief as they face-palmed in unison at the whole scenario.

* * *

Squall grunted as he was knocked away by the clone's blow, the force of it sending him backwards a little and he dropped to one knee. Without a moment to recover, the clone went for another strike, forcing Squall to shield himself, once again, as he lifted the Lionheart in front of his face to block it.

Showing his relentless streak once more, the clone proceeded to follow up his assault with a series of rapid, powerful attacks. Each blow struck Squall's gunblade harshly, heavily, the clone utilizing overwhelming force to best the SeeD. Nonetheless, Squall managed to hold his ground, exhibiting great resilience as he maintained a solid defense despite his hunched position.

For the final blow of his aggressive combo, the clone thrust his weapon hard from the side. The force of the strike knocked Squall's gunblade out of his hands, leaving the SeeD defenseless as he watched the weapon hit the ground a few feet away. Momentarily stunned by the sudden turn of events, Squall turned his head back towards the clone to see the latter's blade coming down on him again. But, right before it could hit him, he rolled backward, successfully dodging another potentially lethal blow and he returned to his feet.

Now, without any form of defense against the duplicate, Squall was at a major disadvantage as he stared down the former crossly. Certain he would win now, a sly grin formed on the clone's face, and he began unleashing another series of crushing blows, forcing Squall to utilize his speed alone to stay ahead of him.

To the clone's frustration, the SeeD still managed to outplay him despite his lack of a weapon, demonstrating great footwork as he moved quickly to avoid being struck by the endless assaults.

Upon finishing his attack, the clone held his gunblade out towards Squall, another smirk quick to form on his face as he stared the SeeD down arrogantly.

"Ready to give up?" he asked, mockingly.

Squall didn't respond, glancing towards his gunblade on the floor as an idea quickly formed in his head. Seeing his mind was briefly somewhere else, the clone took the opportunity and, quickly performing another spin, swung his blade wide and slashed at Squall violently. At the last second, however, the SeeD rolled to the side, successfully dodging the blow and recovering his weapon.

He quickly rose to his feet again, whirling his gunblade in hand, once more, and readying himself to continue on.

"Not a chance." he muttered.

* * *

"Any ideas, Zell?" Irvine asked.

The blond didn't respond, his eyes, again, fixed on the controls in front of him as he thought to himself. An idea soon coming to mind, Zell then stepped towards the small turnstile in the center of the device.

"Maybe…" he mumbled.

Though not entirely certain it would work, but all attempts so far proving ineffective, Zell took a chance and proceeded to turn the gizmo as far as it could go. The peculiar object spun in his hands for a few moments before stopping abruptly. Now, encountering resistance, Zell smirked gleefully as he lifted his hands from the device and stared up at the gears once again.

Taking note of his actions, Irvine and Selphie glanced at the machine for a moment before looking at their friend in question. Confusion and curiosity quickly getting the best of her, Selphie spoke up first.

"What's up?"

"It's in there." Zell answered, casually pointing towards the gears.

His words ignited a spark of hopelessness in his companions, Irvine and Selphie's expressions dropping drastically and they all stared up at the massive interchange.

"You've got to be kidding me…" Irvine groaned. It would figure, of course – just when they thought things couldn't get any more difficult, they are promptly proven wrong in a cruel fashion. Not only had Galbadia infiltrated the MD level and sabotaged Garden's navigation system – but, they had done so in a way that made it virtually impossible to counteract.

Now, with time running out, and no ideas on how to reverse the soldiers' tampering, the three SeeDs could do little more than stare up at the machination in wonder as they pondered their predicament thoroughly.

***Author's Note* -_ If you caught the Dissidia reference, cheers! At least...I tried to paint the picture properly,_ _lol._**


	26. No Turning Back

**Phenomenon**

**No Turning Back**

The two Squalls kept at it, their battle growing more intense as they continued to duke it out. Their confrontation was in a dead heat, both fighters displaying amazing proficiency as they would strike and block each other's attacks in rapid succession. Although the SeeD's efforts were great, the clone remained one step ahead, his speed and precision working to his advantage and making it especially difficult for Squall to land a proper blow.

Still, Squall kept going, thoughts of Rinoa his driving force as he managed to hold his ground effectively. No matter how hard the situation appeared, he wasn't going to quit, not until he had won the fight and could finally save her. It was the one thing he had promised her, the one goal he had set for himself since this all began...and nothing was going to stand in the way of seeing it fulfilled. He fought his hardest, his great resolve feeding the flames of his aggression and giving him the needed endurance to continue on.

In a bid to undermine Squall, the clone suddenly changed his plan of attack and went for a low blow. To his surprise, however, the SeeD wasn't so easily outwitted, almost instantly turning his blade at a downward angle and parrying the attack. Now in another gridlock, both fighters quickly thrust their weapons to the side in unison before bringing them around to halt upright. Their weapons still locked together, both Squalls glared at each other in absolute spite, neither willing to back down.

Finally seeing a chance to best the clone, Squall made his move: thrusting upward on the clone's weapon, he was able to push him back and broke the hold. Then, taking advantage of his opponent's vulnerability, he quickly followed up with a heavy strike from his gunblade. Momentarily stunned from having been outplayed for once, the clone was hit by the blow and stumbled backwards.

Regaining his footing, the duplicate then looked towards Squall in a moment of shock. The SeeD stood in place, gunblade down at his side while breathing heavily from the endless struggle. Though their attributes were almost perfectly matched, the clone's speed and skill had still proven exceptional, nearly uncanny, and his stamina was practically inexhaustible as he bore no sign of lethargy even now. To Squall's dismay, however, he could feel his fatigue beginning to catch up to him – and though he had held his own well against the clone so far, he found himself having to wonder how much longer he could go on. As much as he hated to admit it, even he knew he couldn't fight forever.

In spite of his current condition, Squall did his best to overcome his weariness, glaring back at the clone fiercely while he stood ready to fight some more. He didn't care how impossible or trying the battle seemed - he had come here to save Rinoa, and he had no intentions of stopping until he had succeeded.

The clone sneered at the scene before him. While he found himself pleased by Squall's determination, he also couldn't deny how pitiful the SeeD looked. Even though their struggle was clearly beginning to take its toll on his body, he still couldn't bring himself to accept defeat, willing to continue on despite the situation now working against him. It truly was laughable. Squall was far too stubborn for his own good.

"Feeling weak, are we?" he taunted.

Squall didn't reply, his answer, instead, coming in the form a single swing with his gunblade before going into a fighting position, his eyes still glaring intensely at the clone.

The clone scoffed again, finding himself forced to admire Squall's valor as he cocked his head. He then rushed toward the SeeD, employing two consecutive blows to either side of his body. Despite his lack of energy, Squall managed to block the strikes and the clone quickly followed up with a strong, horizontal swing from the right. This third attempt succeeded in overpowering the tired SeeD Commander, and he fell backward onto the floor with relative ease.

Squall lay still for a moment, trying to recover his stamina while the clone stood over him, proudly. Without warning, he suddenly slammed his gunblade down on the SeeD mercilessly, forcing Squall to expend further energy as he acted quickly to defend himself from the fatal blow. Their weapons locked together again, the clone then bore down heavily on Squall while he lay on the ground, the latter garnering all the strength he could muster to in order to fend off the assault.

* * *

Zell, Selphie, and Irvine stood staring up at the interchange of gears before them, still no ideas gracing their mind while they considered all of their options thoroughly. They certainly couldn't climb the system, and as they had no ideas where the malfunction might be, they wouldn't know where to look anyway.

They were completely stumped, the clock rapidly ticking away for Garden while they remained dormant. The longer they stood there, the closer Lunatic Pandora approached, and the faster they were sealing their fate. Time was a luxury they didn't have.

"What are we gonna do?" Irvine asked, a worried tone in his voice. His question was met only with disappointment, unfortunately, as Selphie shrugged, and Zell didn't even acknowledge that he had spoken.

Zell scrolled his eyes up and down the complex mechanism for a moment, lost in deep thought while he pondered their predicament. Within moments, his doubt turned to ecstasy, the SeeD smirking proudly as an idea struck his mind. Without uttering a single word, he quietly threw his hand out in front of him and cast "scan" on the gears. Standing there in silence, he then carefully examined the mechanical tower, looking closely for any signs of damage or disruption while his two companions looked on eagerly.

Unfortunately, despite the SeeD's best efforts, his search remained fruitless, not even the slightest indication of any kind of tampering able to be found. His face dropped at the unsettling discovery, a look of defeat quick to form and he stared at the gears in alarm.

"That can't be possible." he remarked, his tone low.

"…What is it?" Irvine asked. His voice bore a hint of hesitation, the blonde's words having ignited a heavy fear within the sniper.

"I can't find anything," Zell answered, "Either "scan" can't detect it somehow, or…there's nothing here."

Irvine and Selphie looked at each other anxiously, their stomachs dropping immediately at the unexpected news.

Zell stared up at the gears for another moment with a troubled expression, still holding a bit of doubt towards the situation. He had certainly expected some form of sabotage at the hands of the Galbadian Army, and the fact that the operating system for Garden's flight mode was unresponsive only served as further evidence. Now, however, with their endeavors to counter such actions proving pointless so far, the unruly blond found himself wondering, second-guessing himself, and their predicament, once again. He was perplexed, disturbed even by the unnerving turn the events had suddenly taken. If the soldiers truly hadn't tampered with the system…then what exactly had caused it to suddenly stop functioning?

"So, what do we do now?" Selphie asked. It was obvious she had tried to maintain her composure while speaking, but the intensity of the moment had still gotten the best of her, the fear she felt hinted strongly in her voice.

Zell didn't respond, the SeeD's eyes still locked on the interchange while he studied it closely again. He still wasn't convinced. Nothing had been wrong with Garden's controls until Galbadia had invaded, and the system certainly wouldn't have stopped working for no reason. Something about the situation just didn't add up. There had to be something, a clue or idea that they had somehow missed.

Selphie and Irvine stared at Zell, awaiting some form of response from the SeeD while the blond remained quiet, continuing to focus his full attention on the controls while trying to come up with a logical explanation for their ordeal. His silence only furthered the concern and doubt of his two companions. Zell was the most skilled with machinery out of all of them, and it was rare he was met with a technological challenge that was too grand for him to handle. The fact that even _he_ seemed unable to figure this one out, left their stomach in knots, and they feared for the result.

Still stooped in silence, the SeeD slowly stepped towards the controls again. His eyes locked on absorbedly, Zell examined the system closely while Selphie and Irvine looked on in wonder, doubt and anxiety high within the latter from their friend's odd procedures.

His investigation this time still proving inconclusive, Zell then found himself drawn to the back of the console. Carefully leaning over the top of the controls, he looked down the back and was finally met with the source of their problem: the backside of the system had been violently bashed in, and the wires had been cut and severed.

"Bastards…" he muttered, his teeth clenching hard while an intense glare formed in his eyes. Anger swelling within, he balled his fist, nearly banging it against the controls before stopping himself short. Aggression wouldn't get them out of this situation. Despite his immense fury towards the Galbadian soldiers, they couldn't afford to be reckless, and he fought to contain his emotion, relaxing his fist and standing straight again.

"What's wrong?" Irvine asked, taking note of the blonde's actions.

Zell turned his head, emotion still fighting to win him over and he gritted his teeth again. Too consumed with ire to go into full detail on the matter, he got right to the point, uttering a simple, yet vague response to his confused companions.

"…We've got a problem."

* * *

Squall still sat hunched the floor, bracing himself hard against the clone's force, their weapons remaining locked together. Though unwilling to admit to such, the SeeD Commander could feel his strength fading further now. The battle had already begun to take its toll on him, and his remaining energy was rapidly depleting in this endless deadlock. As disgraceful a thought it was, he knew it was only a matter of time before his ebbing vigor gave way completely.

Still, he fought, pushing against the clone's weapon as hard as he could in hopes of somehow breaking out of the unyielding hold. His face clenched and a faint grunt emitted, the consistency of such a sound further illustrating the SeeD's dire struggle.

The clone stared back at him with that undying arrogance, a haughty smirk forming at the edge of his mouth, once again, at Squall's expense. It was a most gratifying sight: the "powerful" Commander of SeeD actually overtaken in battle, nearly hanging by a thread as he fought to hold on with the last bit of strength he had. All that was left now was to hear Squall beg for mercy, just before the clone delivered the final blow. He couldn't even begin to describe his ecstasy at such a thought.

"Why don't you just give up already?" he scorned, "You can't beat me. It's over."

Squall ignored his words, the SeeD still fighting his hardest in spite of his condition. He didn't care what claims the clone made – he wasn't backing down until he was sure he couldn't fight anymore. The clone was only convincing him to try harder.

Nevertheless, as his fatigue continued to grow, Squall knew he could only hold on so much longer. Against the clone's limitless resilience, and his own waning potency, the SeeD Commander was, unfortunately, unable to deny the obvious disadvantage he faced. If he wanted to make it out of this, he needed a plan…and fast.

He felt the pressure against him increase, his merciless foe taking great advantage, and delight, of Squall's weakened state as he pressed down harder. The SeeD tried in vain to fight back this time, but his strength had now reached its peak, drastically declining at an alarming rate and he could feel his arms nearly give in as they trembled horribly, barely able to hold anymore against the clone's force.

In those last moments, Squall was a bit embarrassed. He had intended to fight this battle on his own, using his own strength, his own skill to take down the clone. It would have just made for a more satisfying feeling to have won this particular conflict alone. However, with no other option he could see, and moments away from defeat, he felt he had no choice but to resort to such an action. It was better than suffering a humiliating loss to the likes of such a cheap and snide imitation.

"Ifrit." he grated. At the mention of the fiery beast's name, Squall's eyes shot open in a scene eerily reminiscent of one possessed. A ferocious flame burned intensely in his eyes, and the clone suddenly felt a surprisingly strong resistance against his blade.

Squall pushed upward on the clone's weapon and violently forced the duplicate back with astonishing ease, now breaking free of the hold and finally bringing an end to their standstill. In a momentary state of shock at the sudden turn of events, the clone looked towards Squall in bafflement.

"What the -?!"

The SeeD glared back at him, the aura he emitted growing more heavy and fierce with each passing second from the power he had utilized from the Guardian Force. Urged on by his anger, and the intensifying aggression he harbored towards the duplicate, Squall soon allowed the power of the flaming beast to fully overtake him: willingly sacrificing all control of his actions, he unleashed Mad Rush before hurrying towards the clone at dire speed.

Still a bit taken aghast by what was going on, the clone had no time to react as Squall immediately unleashed rapid, brutal strikes on the startled adversary. As Squall's strength was no longer entirely his alone, each blow he delivered was performed with astonishingly overwhelming power, the drastic change of tide in battle instantly causing a role reversal as the clone now found himself having to defend against the SeeD's relentless assault.

Under the effects of "haste", and caught in an infinite berserk state, Squall's newfound, ruthless aggression was clearly demonstrated as he pounded away at the clone's defenses tirelessly. The two gunblades clang together loudly, sending an ear-piercing echo ringing throughout enormous chamber.

His efforts seeming ineffective so far, Squall, heavily under the influence of Ifrit's destructive power, soon changed his plan of attack: jumping into the air, he proceeded to bring his gunblade down on the clone with all of his might. The combined strength of the SeeD and Guardian Force unleashed a devastating blow, and the clone was immediately hurled backward across the arena before brutally slamming into the wall.

He winced from the hefty impact, briefly slumping onto the floor while he attempted to shake off the aftershock. He was dumbfounded by the whole event. Just minutes ago, he'd had the upper hand, had been on the verge of victory, of eliminating the pathetic, overconfident Commander. Where had this sudden display of overwhelming power come from? And, why hadn't he been able to counteract it?

He slowly rose to his feet, lifting his head and looking towards Squall with a blend of irritation and confusion. The SeeD Commander stood a few yards away, his Lionheart held firmly in hand while he stared back at the clone coldly and ruthlessly, ready to continue on. It was almost as if the SeeD was urging him to fight more, the intense look on Squall's face gladly welcoming the challenge.

Eyeing the SeeD closely, the clone scowled at the sight as he finally reached his peak. He had taken a light approach in their battle up to now, going easy on Squall to make things more interesting, if only for his own amusement - but, now…that all came to an end at this moment. If Squall thought he was walking away victorious, he was sorely mistaken – the clone would use all of his power to make sure of that.

"Alright. I'm done playing around." he muttered.

At those words, he held his gunblade before him in a horizontal fashion. Closing his eyes, he proceeded to draw his first two fingers along the length of the blade, the brilliant, blue light of the sword shining brighter now as he appeared to be concentrating.

Within moments, a vivid, blue aura surrounded him, the clone having drawn the full power of his attributes, and the semblance of power obtained from Rinoa, in his ultimate bid to eliminate Squall. Now, feeling the colossal might surging through him, he directed his full attention to the SeeD.

The two Squalls stood still a moment, staring each other down heatedly. This was it. In the heat of their ever-intensifying struggle, only one of them would walk away from this battle. A cunning expression formed on the clone's face in the excitement he experienced. If Squall thought the battle had been difficult before, he hadn't seen anything yet - and he beamed with pride at the thought of the SeeD's imminent, and inevitable, downfall.

With both fighters ready to end it here and now, the two Squalls cast all words aside and dashed towards one another at once in their final bout.

* * *

"How's it coming along?" Irvine asked.

"Almost got it." Zell answered. His voice was almost dull in his response, the blonde's full attention focused on the mess of wires in his hands.

Selphie stepped closer, curiosity overtaking the young woman as she carefully leaned over the controls to get a better look. Examining the scene before her, the SeeD could suddenly feel her heart beating frantically in her chest. She glanced from the wires to Zell, the latter seemingly oblivious to that fact that she was beside him as he continued working rapidly on the repairs.

"…Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Selphie asked, the uncertainty she felt clear in her voice. She hated to sound as though she didn't trust him, but she couldn't conceal her lingering hesitation regarding the ordeal. She had never seen Zell perform any kind of maintenance, and he wasn't exactly the most collected person. Taking these facts into account, to see him actually attempting to reconfigure the controls for Garden's navigation system…needless to say, it made her rather uneasy.

Zell didn't respond, seemingly unfazed by her concerns as he now began to apply the finishing touches of the procedure. While aware that his particular course of action wasn't exactly the best, it would have to do. Between their race against time, and his lack of needed tools for the job, it had been the only idea he could think of – and it was certainly better than doing nothing at all. As long as they could get Garden mobile again and avoid the horde of monsters that threatened to overrun them, nothing else mattered.

"Got it!"

He quickly pushed off the control panel and returned to a full standing position. Eager to see how his efforts fared, and having no time to waste, Zell then attempted to activate Garden's flight mode again.

The machine seemed to hum at first, nearly dying almost instantly before finally coming to life once more, much to the trio's amazement. The three friends watched in absolute elation as the gears slowly began spinning in place, the machine now appearing to fully kick-in as the sound emitting from it became louder and stronger.

Just when they were willing to get their hopes up, however, the console abruptly shut off, the interchange of gears coming to a sudden stop and the room was instantly consumed with utter silence once more.

The SeeD's faces promptly dropped in response to the event, the confusion clear on Selphie's expression as she looked around.

"What happened?"

Zell didn't respond as he quickly turned his attention to the controls again. In spite of how things appeared to be turning out, he wasn't willing to accept that their situation could truly be irreversible. They had made it through much more difficult hardships just the year before – and he would be damned to watch Garden fall after everything they had survived up to now. It would just be ridiculous. This wasn't over yet – not if he could do anything about it. There was no way he was letting Galbadia win after all they had done.

Determined to get out of their predicament, he resorted to his original method: testing out every switch and trigger on the control panel in hopes of eliciting some kind of reaction. Unfortunately, much like his previous attempts, the system refused to respond, the console appearing completely dead, once again, and the gears sat dormant.

Zell dropped his head, banging his fist down on the console and muttering under his breath, cursing the whole dilemma.

"Dammit! So close… Come on!"

He gritted his teeth and clenched his fist tighter, squeezing his eyes shut as he felt those previous feelings of anger and hatred return, raging fiercely within the brash SeeD. If he thought he hated Galbadia before, no semblance of aggression he had ever experienced could begin to compare to how he felt now. He no longer simply hated them - he despised them to the very core, the very fabric of their being. He not only wanted to get them back for what they had done…he wanted to make sure they suffered horribly in the process. He had never felt such immeasurable spite before, such a desire for revenge. Somehow, those dastardly soldiers had to pay, and he wouldn't be satisfied until they had. It was the only way to tame his burning fury.

"Let's just get out of here," Irvine hastened, "We've got to warn Xu and Nida. Maybe there's still something we can do."

Zell remained silent, not even acknowledging his friend's words as he emitted a frustrated sigh. He had done everything he could think of, taken every possible action that could help them to outsmart the Galbadian Army and ruin their fatal intentions – yet, despite his efforts, it still hadn't been enough. After all the time they had spent down here in a desperate bid to save their home, and themselves, they had nothing to show for it. Even now, Garden still remained immobile, set on a course for complete annihilation as Lunatic Pandora continued to loom its ugly presence overhead. It killed him to think those lowlife soldiers could actually get away with such a diabolical plot.

Regardless of his fiery lust for revenge, however, the SeeD soon realized the truth to Irvine's words. They clearly weren't getting anything done down here, and it was useless dwelling on the matter when their very existence was at stake.

He tried to calm himself down, slowly lifting his head again and fighting to control his emotion.

He turned towards his companions, staring at them blankly for a moment before finally nodding his head in agreement, and the three of them began making their rapid ascent back to the Bridge. Though Zell hated to quit and leave Garden subject to elimination, he also knew there was nothing else they could do for now – and though still unwilling to accept such a reality, it wasn't like he really had a choice in the matter either. With their endeavors having proven futile in the end, now…it was all up to Squall – and they could only hope that, with any luck, somehow, he and Rinoa were okay inside Lunatic Pandora, and working on a way to prevent the Lunar Cry at this very moment. It was the only chance they had.


	27. The Last Stand

**Phenomenon**

**The Last Stand**

The battle between the two Squalls was astonishingly brutal, both fighting with tireless aggression in their bid to outdo one another. With the support of Ifrit, Squall's fatigue was barely even a memory now, the SeeD's heightened stats having almost completely revitalized him and he met the clone on even ground once more.

With either of their abilities now at peak, their grueling clash had become even more rigorous: both bearing enhanced speed and stamina, they viciously released all of their potential through every attack, equally determined to eliminate the other in their climactic struggle. Through it all, the dual swordsmen remained ever silent, only the constant sound of their gunblades clashing together heard as it echoed loudly throughout the vast, empty chamber.

Fully utilizing their newfound speed, both Squalls delivered savage blows in rapid succession while swiftly dodging each other's in an astounding display of coordination. Despite its size, no part of the room was spared from the intensity this time, Squall and the clone covering every square inch as they moved about, hastily, in the unending battle.

In the heat of their confrontation, the two Squalls rushed one another fiercely, both swinging their swords in perfect synchronization as they closed in. The impact of the hit, combined with their inhuman speed, knocked both fighters back as soon as they connected, effectively creating a fair distance between them once again.

Almost as soon as they were dispersed, Squall and the clone recovered and hurried towards each other another time. The same idea crossing their minds at once, they quickly whipped their swords out to the side before violently dashing past the other at an alarming rate. Due to their equal skill and statistics, the two Squalls only succeeded in nullifying each other's strike, both finishing a few feet from the other in a kneeling position with their backs facing one another.

They both glanced backward, eyeing the other briefly before an idea quickly surfaced in the clone's mind. Leering deviously, he turned forward again before jumping high into the air and flipping backward, coming down on Squall at a high velocity. The SeeD was undaunted by the duplicate's impressive actions and jumped back to avoid him right before the moment of contact, only resulting in the clone landing on the ground with a strong stomp.

Taking advantage of the open shot he had, Squall quickly rushed toward the clone before jumping into the air and slamming his gunblade down on top of the imitation. Mirroring Squall's boldness precisely, the clone simply flipped backward again, quickly and effortlessly dodging the blow. Using one arm as a brace, he then touched down and flipped upright, landing firmly on the ground and returning to his feet.

Wasting no time, and driven by his burning desire to annihilate Squall, the clone lifted his weapon into the air. Channeling all of his ire and aggression into a single blow, his gunblade began to glow with a vibrant light before he brutally slammed it down on the ground, unleashing Blasting Zone on the young SeeD Commander.

Still, Squall was unafraid, glaring head on at the massive beam as it stretched toward him ferociously. At the last moment, he swiftly jumped out of the way, diving to the side and rolling on the ground. The enormous beam of energy rushed past the SeeD, destroying a nearby wall before dissipating in an instant. Squall never took his eyes off the clone, rushing the duplicate as soon as he climbed to his feet and their battle raged on.

* * *

Selphie and the boys returned to the Bridge as fast as their legs could carry them. With the threat of Lunatic Pandora still hovering above, and Garden stuck in its immobile state, they knew they faced destruction at any moment. Though still burdened by their inability to save Garden, they held to their hopes that somehow it would still be okay. If they could get to Xu and Nida with enough time left on the clock, maybe they could come up with another idea together – it was all they could count on to get them out of this harrowing ordeal now.

They returned to the flight deck, their hearts beating rapidly in their chests as they finally regrouped with their comrades.

"Guys, we're in trouble!" Selphie said, hurriedly.

"That's for sure…" Nida replied, dully. He and Xu stood with their backs to the trio, barely acknowledging their presence as they stared upward in a stupor.

Zell, Selphie, and Irvine slowly followed their line of sight and, upon lifting their heads, finally noticed what had captured their attention: Lunatic Pandora was now fully rested above Garden, completely obstructing their view of the sky as it cast a massive shadow over the school. It sat dormant, almost as if it were establishing dominance over SeeD before sending them to their demise. The bottom of the colossal structure appeared to glare down at them sinisterly as it prepared to unleash the Lunar Cry.

The three SeeDs were nearly petrified by the sight, their stomachs dropping as they stared up at the floating weapon.

"How did it go?" Xu asked, hastily, momentarily detracting her attention from the titanic weapon. There was a tone of worry in her voice as she looked at them hopefully, the anticipation plain in her eyes. It only made the reality they faced harder on the SeeDs, and they struggled in the moment as they contemplated what to say.

Unable to come to terms with having failed at their task, and seeing Lunatic Pandora was now ready to eradicate them at any moment, Zell sighed and hung his head. It already killed him enough that they hadn't been able to save Garden – he didn't need any reminders of his incompetence. While he knew that Xu was uninformed of their unsuccessful endeavors, he was still consumed with resent and shame towards the whole situation. If he could, he would have given anything for this moment to be different.

"It's no good," Selphie said, quietly, shaking her head, "We did all we could, but nothing worked. Sorry…"

She lowered her head in shame at her own words, quickly falling into silence alongside Zell. The bleak reality they faced had now fully caught up to her, any hope she may have previously held onto completely obliterated in the presence of Lunatic Pandora, and she fought to contain the fear and regret she felt.

Xu and Nida's expressions dropped at their friends' news and they felt their hearts sink in an instant. If anything, they had expected Selphie and the others would be able to resolve the ordeal - they were the only ones who had personal experience with Garden's control system, after all, having only performed the same task just the prior year, and Zell's mechanical ability was of no secret amongst the students of Garden. Taking these facts into consideration, it was a wonder they couldn't manage to do it again. It just didn't make sense. The whole concept left the two companions rather dumbstruck, able to do little more than look at the trio with baffled expressions.

"So…then, Garden is…?" Nida mumbled. His voice shook as he spoke, goosebumps quickly covering his body while a fearful look formed in his eyes. He trembled nervously, unable to even complete his sentence from the shock that overtook him. He nearly felt ill, his stomach tying in knots from such anxiety.

"Oh, man…" Irvine murmured. His eyes remained locked on the Lunatic Pandora absorbedly, all words and thoughts completely evading him in the heavy silence. None of them could really believe this might actually be the end.

Zell slowly lifted his head and gazed back up at Lunatic Pandora now. In spite of his previous grief, he still did his best to cling to the last bit of hope he harbored. Though time was drastically declining for them and Garden, there was still one way out of their predicament, and he clenched his face in anticipation of the event, balling his fist absentmindedly as he kept his eyes locked intently on the colossal device.

"_Come on, Squall. What the hell is taking so long?"_

* * *

Squall and the clone collided again, their gunblades clashing together in yet another deadlock. In the brief instance it lasted, they eyed each other intensely, a glare cold as ice itself in their eyes before the clone quickly broke the hold: thrusting his weapon hard against Squall's, he knocked the SeeD's gunblade to the side. With Squall now vulnerable, the clone quickly spun around, jumping into the air a little before unleashing a powerful swing at the SeeD. Though the young Commander managed to create a brace with his sword just in time, the impact of the blow still knocked him back, putting a decent gap between them once more.

His resilience still reinforced by Ifrit's attributes, Squall recovered instantly and rushed the clone over again. Keeping his eyes bolted intently on the duplicate, Squall stared at him harshly, dragging his gunblade along the ground as he moved.

When he was only a few feet from the duplicate, Squall suddenly jumped into the air, clutching his Lionheart with one hand now as he held it out beside him. His eyes never veered from the clone, the SeeD coming down on the imitation briskly before finally releasing a strong, horizontal slash.

At the last second, the duplicate jumped out of the way, successfully dodging the strike and Squall landed on the ground. With his back now facing upward, Squall heard a loud cry and turned his head to see the clone coming down on _him _this time. There was a fiery aggression in his eyes, his expression burning with sheer abhorrence as he came down on the SeeD sadistically.

Emulating the clone's actions, Squall quickly jumped out of the way, landing in a kneeling position as he watched the duplicate slam onto the ground savagely.

Squall wasted no time in taking action again and rushed the clone once more, not even caring to allow him time to return to his feet. He held his gunblade out beside him again, both hands gripping the weapon strongly as it appeared to burn with a faint, blue aura. He glared at the imitation heatedly, ready to initiate the finishing blow and end this unrelenting battle as he raced forward.

The clone watched closely as Squall approached, his confidence, unshaken, and completely devoid of any fear. He held his weapon out behind him, proceeding to charge up for his counter strike while keeping it hidden from the SeeD's sight. Their eyes locked fiercely on one another, the clone waiting for just the right moment to strike while the SeeD remained blissfully unaware of what lay ahead.

Now reaching the point of action, Squall jumped into the air, once again, his eyes still locked on the clone intensely. He held his gunblade above his head, the faint aura now appearing to increase as it, and the blue light of the sword, radiated brilliantly. The clone merely smirked at the sight, watching carefully as Squall came down on him mercilessly.

Just as Squall was about to strike, the clone made his move: slamming his gunblade on the ground between them, a massive shockwave emitted from the weapon and hurdled towards Squall. The attack caught the brunette completely off-guard, the jolt appearing to pierce through his body before sending him flying backward across the chamber.

Squall crashed violently onto the ground in front of Rinoa, coughing drastically upon impact. He felt a sharp pain in his stomach and winced hard from the sudden agony as he placed a hand over his abdomen, trying desperately to catch his breath. He didn't have to wonder – he knew what was going on as soon as he felt his strength dissipate in an instant. He didn't know how exactly, but the clone's strike had completely eradicated all traces of the Guardian Force from his body. He could no longer feel Ifrit's power flowing within him.

He suddenly felt weak, tired, the SeeD overcome with immense fatigue again as he lay on the floor, fighting to keep himself from collapsing altogether. His gunblade lay a few feet away, the bright blue light it had only recently emitted now having completely faded as well.

The clone stood over him proudly, a content expression on his face as he stared down at Squall. Squall paid him no mind, however, the SeeD Commander too weak to even acknowledge his presence as he continued lying on the floor, grunting and writhing from the pain he experienced.

The very sight filled the clone with satisfaction as he watched Squall for a moment. He looked so pitiful and helpless, a refreshing contrast to his previous overconfidence. The elation he felt towards the scene was practically indescribable. Finally, he had managed to overpower the pathetic SeeD Commander, and it was time to deliver the finishing blow. He was finally going to annihilate Squall Leonhart – and he was overcome with an eerie pleasure at the thought.

Finally taking note of the clone's close proximity, Squall looked up at him from the floor, both making eye contact for a moment as the clone muttered one last time.

"Come on. I want to hear you beg for mercy."

He lifted his gunblade into the air, readying the weapon to send the SeeD to his grim demise. Squall clenched his teeth at the whole moment, his face dropping and an expression of anger was quick to form.

He watched as the clone thrust the weapon down hard, the hefty blade coming at the SeeD rapidly as it threatened to wipe him from existence. In those final moments, he was suddenly met by images of Rinoa flashing through his memory. The sorceress stood there at the front of his mind, her sweet, innocent smile shining back at him and he was overcome with a strange sensation. Out of nowhere, he heard a faint voice break through the reverie, Rinoa's words, quiet but distinct, whispering encouragement to him before she suddenly faded from his cognizance.

At the last second, just as the clone's sword was to pierce his flesh, Squall regained his strength and abruptly countered the assault: blocking the strike with his gunblade, he then used the clone's momentum to break the hold. The force Squall utilized caused the clone to stumble to the side as the SeeD rolled forward. Now, behind the duplicate, Squall quickly rose to his feet before jumping into the air again and coming down on the imitation with a mighty blow.

Startled by the sudden twist of events, the clone had no time to react as he was hit by Squall's sword and the impact of the blow sent him hurdling forward.

Unexpectedly to both of them, Squall had inadvertently knocked the clone towards his pod, and the duplicate slammed into the device violently before releasing a deafening yell. Squall watched, astounded, as he witnessed the clone's apparent demise in a vibrant burst of electrical energy. Lasting only a matter of mere moments, the clone's voice drained just seconds before it ended, and he slowly fell to his knees in defeat before collapsing onto the floor completely still.

Squall stared ahead towards the lifeless imitation, a cold look in his eyes as he stood silently for a moment.

It was then that he remembered his priorities and turned his attention to Rinoa, still asleep inside Adel's Tomb and completely oblivious to the battle that had occurred before her. Rushing over to her, Squall stared up at the sorceress with a flustered expression as he thought of how to get her out.

"Rinoa." he muttered.

He scanned the area, looking around frantically for any way to break Rinoa free of the tomb, when his eyes were suddenly drawn to the small tubes on the side. Squall looked at them in wonder, observing, again, as the liquids within flowed from her tomb to the now disrupted husk beside it before slowly drawing his blade. Seeing no other option, and desperate to set her free, the SeeD then slashed the tubes, instantly severing them with a single swing.

He lifted his head towards Rinoa again just in time to witness the tomb's encasing shatter before him. He shielded his eyes as the shards scattered throughout the area while Rinoa's Angel Wings vanished in an instant.

As soon as the disturbance ceased, Squall looked towards Rinoa again. Still in a sound sleep, the sorceress's arms now slowly fell to her side and she began swaying lightly in place before finally falling out of the tomb. Squall's eyes got wide at the sight and he rushed forward to catch her in time, barely managing to reach the needed spot as Rinoa fell into him. Squall stared down at the unconscious sorceress in shock, Rinoa remaining completely unaware of her surroundings as she now lay peacefully in the SeeD's arms.

"Rinoa!" he said, his voice, gentle, yet bearing evidence of alarm.

The sorceress didn't respond, her body still laying limp in the brunette's grasp.

Suddenly, Squall heard a sound to his right and turned to see the clone recovering now. He was weak, struggling in attempt to rise to his feet…but alive, nonetheless. The sight stunned Squall for a moment before a hostile look came over his face again. Gently setting Rinoa down, he carefully drew his gunblade one last time, holding it down at his side as he stared towards the clone sternly.

Finally climbing to a standing position, the clone looked ahead towards Squall, his strength, faded, but his ambition still burning like before. His aggression, his anger still raged within, reflected clearly in his lethargic, yet malicious eyes. Even though he was limp, he still held on through sheer will. He was here to eliminate Squall, and he had every intention of doing so, no matter what it took. If he had to go down, he would ensure that Squall would be going with him – and he wouldn't allow himself to be defeated until he saw that goal achieved.

He grunted weakly, breathing heavily in his critical state while he struggled to form words.

"I'm…not through…with you yet…"

Using all of his remaining stamina, the clone forcefully drew his blade and rushed towards Squall in his last resort to destroy the SeeD Commander.

Squall was impervious to the clone's actions and watched closely as it came at him desperately. The clone held his weapon firmly with both hands, his eyes locking squarely with Squall's while he prepared to unleash the fatal blow. Lifting the gunblade above his head as he closed the gap between them, the clone went to make his move, his yell of rage resounding loudly through the room one last time and he struck at Squall with all of his might.

All of a sudden, he felt a horrid, stabbing pain in his torso and the sword instantly fell from his hands. Unable to speak from shock, the clone scrolled his eyes downward to find Squall's Lionheart dug deeply into his body. The SeeD glared back at him, a spiteful look in his eyes.

"Now we know who's better." he grumbled.

The clone stared back at him weakly, his eyes slowly rolling back and Squall removed the gunblade from his midsection. The clone held his stomach, gasping desperately for breath as he felt his life force draining in an instant. He fought to hold on, staggering forward past Squall and releasing one last grunt of agony before finally collapsing onto the ground, lifeless.

Squall stood with his back to the fallen adversary, staring back towards the clone with a watchful eye. After a moment of seeing no sign of life apparent within the imitation, he was convinced it was dead and withdrew his weapon again.

He slowly trekked back towards Rinoa, the sorceress still out cold as she lay on the ground soundly. Squall kneeled down beside her, cradling Rinoa in his arms for a moment and looked at her closely.

"Rinoa," he said, shaking the young sorceress lightly in attempt to wake her up, "Rinoa, can you hear me? Come on. Rinoa!"

Still, Rinoa remained unresponsive even now, Squall's voice and touch completely annulled in her comatose state, once again.

Squall stared at the sorceress concernedly, a faint expression of fear hinted in his eyes at her condition. She still had a pulse – weak, but evident, nonetheless, and she didn't appear to be harmed in any way. The whole scene perplexed him, Squall struggling greatly to imagine what might be wrong as he sat in the silence of the empty chamber.

Only seconds later, the quiet was dispelled when Squall felt a light tremor shake the whole of Lunatic Pandora.

"What?" he wondered aloud. His eyes darted around the room, alarmingly, while he tried to determine the source of the shaking. It was only then, in that brief moment of surprise, that the SeeD Commander was brusquely reminded of his other task. Though he had managed to save Rinoa, he now had to find a way to stop the Lunar Cry from destroying Garden, an event he had long forgotten in the chaos of his battle with the clone.

He cursed the entire ordeal, gritting his teeth in defiance of the moment he had announced such intentions. Had he known what he would find in his desperate bid to save Rinoa, he never would have taken on such an objective. Now, with the young sorceress incapacitated, and his unexpected encounter with the clone having stolen a substantial amount of time, the clock was rapidly ticking away for them - and Squall found himself struggling to imagine how he could possibly manage to halt the catastrophe now.

He shook his head, quick to relinquish himself of such doubts. Everyone was counting on him, expecting him to lead them out of this trial, and he wasn't about to shatter that trust. He had given his word, and he wasn't one to go back on a promise. As leader of SeeD, he had a responsibility to uphold - and he would be damned to sit back and watch as his friends, and his home, were completely destroyed.

"Come on," he said, firmly, "Let's get you out of here, Rinoa."

He carefully scooped the sorceress into his arms and rose to his feet. His eyes momentarily retracted back to the clone, still lying dead on the floor with no sign of recuperation as Squall briefly recalled their heated battle.

Another faint tremor emanated through the structure, and Squall turned his attention towards the chamber entrance. Glancing down at Rinoa one last time, he then hurried out of the room, moving as fast as he could with the sorceress still unconscious in his arms as he made route back through Lunatic Pandora.

***Author's Note* - _Hopefully the end of this battle wasn't a disappointment to anyone. I wrote it as I envisioned, and that's all I can say. And, yes, in case you haven't noticed, Blasting Zone is one of my favorite attacks!_**


	28. Welcome the Calm

**Phenomenon**

**Welcome the Calm**

Zell and the others remained in absolute silence as they continued staring up at Lunatic Pandora, waiting, anxiously; for their impending demise, or for Squall to save them. They had heard the sounds emitting from the massive object, and they knew, all-too-well, that the Lunar Cry was on the verge of initiation – and once it began…there was no stopping it; and Garden would, inevitably, be crushed into nothing. The very thought, the whole moment itself, drove them crazy with panic and uncertainty, their nerves wracking from the immense tension they felt in the face of such an end.

"We've got to do something!" Irvine said, abruptly, "I hate just standing around! I feel so useless."

"What can we do?" Selphie remarked, "We tried all we could…"

Her words only elicited a faint grumble from the sniper, and he turned his head away in displeasure as he looked back up toward Lunatic Pandora again.

Zell emitted another heavy sigh, shaking his head in defeat as he looked towards the floor. This really was the end. After how far they had come, all of the crazy things they had survived just the prior year…it really was all going to come down here and now. It just seemed so pathetic a fate, and a part of him still couldn't believe it could actually true.

He lifted his head one more time, a look of anticipation returning to his face as he scanned the titanic weapon for any sign of Squall. In spite of his hopes, there was still no trace of their companion, however, only Galbadia's fateful weapon greeting his sight once again. He just couldn't understand: go in, rescue Rinoa, and get her out. If anyone could pull off such an idea, it was Squall - and the fact that he had yet to return, even after all of this time, began to raise questions in the blonde's mind…none of which he was comfortable considering.

He shook his head, solemnly, and in what he expected to be their final moments, expressed one last plea in his desperation.

"Only a miracle will get us of this one…"

On cue, as if to have heard his words, the console in the MD level sparked brightly before the controls for Garden's flight mode suddenly kicked back into gear; it seemed Zell's tinkering with the machinery had worked. The console hummed loudly, the sturdy sound bringing the system back to life as the interchange of gears began spinning in place once more.

Back up on the flight deck, Zell and the others were startled by a sudden, faint trembling that seemed to move throughout Garden.

"What was that?!" the blond asked, a tone of panic in his voice. Fear grabbed hold of him, the SeeD anticipating their demise as he looked around frantically.

They all looked up towards Lunatic Pandora again and watched as the halo above Garden began coming down over top of them. It spun rapidly in place, slowly drawing itself down the side of the school as it made its way underneath. The SeeDs watched the event unfold in wonder and disbelief, Zell completely awestruck by the sight as he stared at the moving corona. He didn't know how it had happened, but his plea had actually been answered: Garden's flight mode had miraculously activated itself, and was now preparing to take the air once again in the nick of time. The gratitude he was suddenly overcome with was beyond words, or measure.

"Hold on!" Nida hollered, abruptly.

Zell, Selphie, Irvine, and Xu heeded his words immediately, each grabbing hold of the railing surrounding the flight deck as they prepared to leave ground. The young SeeD pilot then gripped the controls and, with all of his might, directed Balamb Garden skyward.

A thick cloud of dirt and haze surrounded all of Garden, the halo spinning beneath the now mobile school as it slowly began lifting off the ground. The whole building shook hard in the process, the ebbing battle between Balamb and Galbadia momentarily halted as every fighter fought to maintain their balance amidst the newfound chaos.

Zell and the others strengthened hold of the railing to retain their footing. In their confusion from the suddenness of it all, they lifted their heads towards Lunatic Pandora again, peering closely through the dust and grime in attempt to get catch a glimpse of the fateful structure. Though they wanted, wholeheartedly, to believe this moment could actually be real, the timing was just too perfect in their minds.

However, their doubts were instantly allayed when they witnessed Lunatic Pandora slowly fade from sight, the light of the blue sky steadily coming back into view as Garden steered clear of the obstruction.

Finally bringing Garden to a rest, Nida was surrounded by the others when they ran up beside him. Their eyes locked ahead, a look of amazement still on their faces while they stood staring towards Lunatic Pandora. The massive weapon still lingered in the same position, hovering above the now empty area where their school had sat only moments before.

"Woo-hoo! We did it!" Selphie cheered, loudly, jumping in place in her excitement, "We saved Garden! Everyone's okay!"

She smiled brightly, the small, young woman more than happy to put the previous turmoil behind them. Her reaction to it all was a source of comfort for her companions, and a smile soon graced their faces, the relief and ecstasy they felt at having finally escaped the horrid fate set for them immediately overcoming the group. Garden was finally safe, as they had wanted, hoped for desperately, and though still at a loss as to exactly how it had happened…they certainly weren't foolish enough to question the obvious phenomenon.

In spite of the celebration though, Zell was still disturbed by a lingering fear. Though they may have saved Garden from a complete destruction, the Lunar Cry still threatened, waited steadily, to rain all hell down upon Balamb; and to make it worse, Squall and Rinoa were still inside, no sign of the two apparent even now as he scanned the structure, closely, once more. Though it would appear as if their fears were now a thing of the past, despite how much he wanted to believe such, too…Zell knew their dilemma was still far from over.

"Not quite…" he uttered, "Squall is still inside."

His words instantly struck terror in the hearts of his friends, and their celebration promptly ceased. They slowly turned their heads, their attention returning to Lunatic Pandora once more. Their hearts beat heavily, frantically, in their chests, each of them feeling their previous apprehension now return while they waited, anxiously, hoping for Squall and Rinoa's safety as their eyes sat bolted on the colossal weapon.

* * *

Squall kept moving through Lunatic Pandora with Rinoa still in his arms. Despite his lingering fatigue from his battle with the clone, he forced himself to continue on, his tired legs carrying him through the colossal structure as he headed towards the exit. He had to get out of here, had to find a way to save Garden before it was too late; to save Rinoa. It was pressure, especially for his already weary body, but it only motivated him further. He had to persevere.

Another tremor shook through the building and Squall's legs finally caved, his knees collapsing under him from the vibration. He fell into a nearby wall, the impact causing Rinoa to slip from his grasp while he dropped to the floor, harshly.

The comatose sorceress rolled away from him, tumbling along the ground ahead. Despite the violent force her body had just endured, Rinoa remained undisturbed, completely inert in her heavily incapacitated state as she lay on the cold ground.

"Rinoa!" Squall called, quietly, a horrified expression on his face.

He quickly climbed to his feet and returned to the sorceress' side, cradling her in his arms again before lifting her off the ground. Rinoa just lay silently against him, remaining utterly oblivious to the events of the world around her; to him. The sight only left Squall further concerned about her current state, the fret clear in his eyes as he stared at her closely for a moment.

Soon remembering their situation, he then nodded his head lightly before running off again, a determined look on his face as he continued forward through Lunatic Pandora.

* * *

Before too long, Squall finally made it to his destination. Now, almost entirely exhausted from the endless strain up to now, the SeeD dragged his fatigued legs slowly towards the end of the passageway, his chest heaving against Rinoa's body as he made his way into the entrance.

He stood at the threshold of the tunnel, his eyes gazing forward and a grateful sigh emitted from his lips. They were almost there. He only needed to carry Rinoa a few more feet, and they'd be home free. He was overcome with relief. His frantic struggle was now nearly over; he would finally be able to save her, and put this whole ordeal to rest. A weak smile formed on Squall's face at the thought, and he glanced down at the sorceress one last time.

"Hold on, Rinoa." he said, gently.

Driven by his immense desire to see her recover, Squall propelled his enervated body forward, traversing the remaining distance with the limp Rinoa while he kept his eyes peeled ahead.

No sooner had he reached the Ragnarok, he was greeted by a loud roaring that completely shattered the quiet of Lunatic Pandora. A strong wind blew harshly through the gaping hole that penetrated the building's design, and Squall turned his head away as its strength increased, his grip on Rinoa tightening as he held her closer.

The anonymous roaring got louder as the wind continued to intensify, and Squall anticipated another altercation at any moment. Though reluctant to engage in further combat, especially given his lethargic state, he would still deal with any threats if need be. He had finally rescued Rinoa against all odds, and he would do everything he could in order to protect her, to ensure she didn't leave his side this time.

He turned his head into the cumulative wind, gritting his teeth in preparation for the assault while he clung to the raven-haired girl. Yet, in a sudden twist of fate, Squall was surprised to discover that the sight which greeted him was that of another Ragnarok airship. The airborne vessel drifted towards them, turning its starboard side in their direction before slowing to a halt, hovering at the edge of Lunatic Pandora.

The doors to the hangar opened and Squall held back, the SeeD still holding reservations as he yielded a sharp glare towards the aircraft.

"SQUALL! COME ON!" a voice hollered over the loud ruckus. Laguna stood in the doorway, waving his hand, hurriedly, in a motion for Squall to come on board.

The sight of the elder man immediately depleted Squall's suspicions and he slowly loosened his stance, staring ahead towards Laguna in brief bewilderment at the President's sudden appearance. Upon realizing there was no threat of danger now, Squall then heeded Laguna's plea and rushed aboard the aircraft with the unconscious Rinoa. Paying no mind to the elderly man, the SeeD hurried through the hangar towards the cockpit, Laguna following closely as the doors closed behind them.

* * *

The lift emerged from the lower deck and Squall and Laguna entered the cockpit. Kiros sat in the pilot's seat with the towering Ward standing beside him, the arrival of their comrades immediately eliciting their attention and they turned their heads towards the back of the room. Right away, their eyes were drawn to Rinoa, the two men overcome with concern at the sight of her as Squall stepped forward.

"Is she okay…?" Kiros asked. He eyed Rinoa closely as he spoke. His face bore a look of pressing doubt at the sorceress' state, the answer already in his mind as he had asked.

Squall didn't reply as he turned his attention to the sorceress again. He examined her carefully, Rinoa still lying limp in his grasp, her blank, lifeless face staring up at him. She looked so frail, the color of her skin now beginning to fade. Squall wanted to hear her speak, move, some sign to know she was going to be okay. Three times now, he had witnessed her in such a state, so fragile, so helpless. Though it pained him to ponder such, he could only wonder how many more times he would have to see her like this.

"…I don't know." he answered, somberly.

"Don't worry." Laguna said, softly, an empathetic tone in his voice as he placed a hand on Squall's shoulder. The SeeD just ignored him, not even caring to brush off the man's hand as he continued staring down at Rinoa.

Laguna slowly trekked forward, joining up with Kiros and Ward now and the three men prepared to depart from the company of Lunatic Pandora. A heavy sigh emitted from Squall's lips, and soon…the SeeD was unable to bear the sight anymore. He carefully laid Rinoa down, kneeling over the inert sorceress, momentarily, before recalling their situation again. He yanked his head towards Laguna in a panic.

"What about Garden?"

"It's alright," Laguna replied, calmly, "They managed to get it out of the way in time. Everyone's okay."

Squall eased up again at the elder man's response, folding his arms complacently with a faint smile of gratitude. While he was still somewhat disgruntled towards himself, ashamed that he hadn't held up his end in the matter, it was, nevertheless, comforting to know that his friends were safe – and that they had done it all without his help this time. While he wouldn't publicly admit it, he was proud of everyone. It was about time some good news came their way.

Still, though they had successfully salvaged Garden, and his clone had been destroyed, the Lunar Cry had yet to be dealt with. Even with Garden out of its reach, the calamity still threatened to rain down upon Balamb itself – and while SeeD may no longer be in danger, there were still the residents of the nearby town to consider. They had managed to save themselves from the horrible fate that had awaited them, but now, they had the difficult task of saving everyone else. If they didn't do something soon, the whole continent of Balamb would practically cease to exist.

"But, the Pandora!" he exclaimed, anxiously, "Those monsters are going to destroy Balamb! We have to do something!"

Laguna merely denied the brunette's claims with a shake of his head, seemingly unbothered by such thoughts. He stood pensive, cupping his chin in hand while he continued staring out the windshield.

"It's too late to stop the Lunar Cry. The process is already too far along by now." he stated.

Squall's stomach dropped at Laguna's comment, the SeeD instantly stricken with absolute fear for the residents of Balamb. His mind was flooded with nightmarish thoughts: the unwitting families in the quiet town suddenly overrun with terrifying monsters as the wrath of the lunar world was finally unleashed. It was a haunting vision, the gruesome deaths of innocent civilians slaughtered in cold blood tearing at the SeeD, unbearably. He couldn't stand to let that happen.

He shook his head in defiance, a look of anger and disgust on his face at the thought. Laguna took note of his vivid reaction and was quick to speak up again.

"Don't worry. There's still a chance," he assured, "We'll just redirect its course, send all the monsters into the ocean. It's not entirely full-proof, but it's really all we can do."

Squall sighed at his words, unclenching his face and doing his best to calm himself down. Honestly, he was a bit skeptical of such a notion, especially if it wasn't exactly guaranteed. Nevertheless, there were no other options apparent, and it was certainly better than letting tons of innocent lives be taken. As long as they could spare Balamb from such a horrendous fate, he didn't really care too much how it happened.

With no words left on the matter, Laguna finally gave the awaited cue and Kiros kicked the engine back into full-gear. The course set, he then proceeded to direct the Ragnarok towards their destination - and within moments, the dragon-shaped aircraft abruptly soared off from Lunatic Pandora towards Garden.

* * *

The madness of the battle between SeeD and Galbadia had finally ceased. Any residual soldiers of the opposing forces were easily dealt with by the Estharian troops, while those remaining for Garden now tended to the wounded. The calm was no less trying than the conflict itself, unfortunately, as there was a vast multitude that had suffered rather serious injuries, both Cadet and SeeD. The students worked tirelessly, rigorously in their efforts to support their comrades, while doing their best to cope with the losses they had suffered during the harsh struggle.

Now, having finally defeated the opposition, and Squall having disposed of the clone, the Lunar Cry had effectively been rerouted thanks to Laguna's efforts, and Lunatic Pandora no longer loomed in Balamb's sky.

Bringing up the rear of passengers, Squall exited the Ragnarok, cradling Rinoa closely again while he reunited with his companions. They all stood patiently, mentally rejoicing at the couple's return while their eyes focused on Rinoa. She was so still, not even the slightest acknowledgment of their presence apparent within her. It was an unnerving sight to witness, each of the SeeDs utterly puzzled and disturbed by her sudden condition.

"Hey… What's wrong with Rinoa?" Selphie asked, worriedly, "Is she okay?"

Squall didn't respond, ignoring the young woman's question altogether as he slowly knelt down before Laguna. He carefully slid his arm out from under Rinoa's legs, the sorceress' head now rested against his knee and Squall gently stroked her hair. She felt cold, her skin now almost completely pale as she lay against him. It took everything within Squall to stifle his doubts, those fears he harbored deep down that told him they may be too late.

"Zis iz an outrage! Unhand me zis instant!"

Squall turned his head immediately at the sound of the voice to see Odine coming their way. He was held by two Esthar soldiers on either side, his hands cuffed behind him as they led him up to Laguna.

Squall's instincts kicked into overdrive in the doctor's presence and he pulled Rinoa closer to him, his body acting as a shield for the unconscious girl while his eyes beamed with hatred for the cunning scientist. He still couldn't forget what Odine had done to her, how he had started all of this hassle in the first place. If the doctor wasn't already apprehended, Squall felt he may have acted on his hostility right then. The man's actions of late were entirely unforgiveable in his mind.

"Ah, Odine. Glad you could join us." Laguna said, smugly.

He quickly proceeded to pull out multiple documents from his pocket, holding them up in a taunting fashion for Odine to see.

"You know… we've got a lot of incriminating evidence against you, stuff I'm sure I'll be rather fascinated by after a more thorough review."

"My research! Give zat back!" Odine shouted, defiantly. He jumped in place, frantically, almost as if to try and snatch the files from the president's hands despite being detained.

Laguna waved his finger in a scolding manner as he hid the papers behind his back. There was a faint twinkle in his eye, and a smirk soon formed on his face at his successful endeavors to outplay the doctor.

"Not so fast," he chided, "You've got a lot to answer for, Odine. But, that's a matter best left for later, and I'll be tending to your case, personally; and, I promise, I'll make sure you never perform another experiment on a living being again. Count on it."

With those words, he motioned towards the Ragnarok firmly. Silently acknowledging his orders, the Esthar officials nodded in compliance before taking Odine aboard the aircraft.

Squall watched as they walked away, pursing his eyes at Odine. While relieved that the doctor had finally been caught, he was rather displeased with the scene that had unfolded before him. He had expected something more fitting, harsher, to say the least. It hadn't been enough just to see Odine at Laguna's mercy – the man wasn't exactly the best disciplinarian, after all. Though somewhat doubtful of the president's ability, Squall could only trust that, once they had returned to Esthar…Laguna would choose an acceptable punishment.

Laguna looked towards Squall again, immediately taking note of the SeeD's expression.

"Don't worry, Squall, we'll deal with him. Trust me," he said, "If there's one thing I won't tolerate, it's treason - and Odine has gotten away with that far too much in the past; he won't hurt anyone else again. I promise."

Squall stared at Laguna intently, not a word emitting from either of their lips in the long silence. Laguna stood with his arms folded, coldly, while fury burned in his eyes at his words. It was the first time Squall had ever seen the elder man so stern, so certain of himself. He truly was appalled by Odine's actions. The sight sent a sense of comfort through the SeeD to know that his prior doubts had been quelled, and he nodded lightly at Laguna. He didn't care how it happened, or when - he was just content in knowing Odine would suffer as much as he made them lately; made Rinoa. Just the mere thought filled him with a wicked satisfaction.

Quistis finally emerged from Galbadia Garden with Caraway. The elder man was slumped forward, a bandage wrapped around his torso from the wound he had sustained, while his other arm was draped over Quistis' shoulder. The blond carefully helped him forward, doing her best to support Caraway's weight as they slowly made their way towards the others.

Caraway soon took note of Rinoa's condition, and his jaw gaped open. He stood in place, weary-eyed and startled, all words completely eluding him at the sight of his daughter.

He pulled himself away from Quistis, his attention undivided from Rinoa as he slowly stepped towards the inert girl. Carefully kneeling down beside her, he took position across from Squall, his eyes still heavily fixated on the sorceress.

"…Rinoa…" he mumbled. He gently placed his hand on his daughter's face, her cold skin and lifeless expression nearly bringing tears to the elder man's eyes. He was overwhelmed with emotion as he sat there, staring down at Rinoa, anger and guilt at the state of his daughter eating away at Caraway's heart terribly. Everything he had done as of late: all of his actions, all of his thoughts thus far…they had all been for her sake. He had submitted to Deling, to his own reluctance, turning against everything he believed in to ensure Rinoa's safety, an action that had quickly brought shame to himself.

Yet, by some despicable irony, he had now come to discover it had all been for naught. In spite of his efforts, in spite of his every hope and intention, Rinoa now laid before him, the insentient girl completely devoid of life. The sight was too much to bear for the grief-stricken man, Caraway cursing the entire ordeal, cursing Deling. He couldn't forgive himself for having ever been so foolish.

Laguna looked toward Kiros, holding his hand out expectantly, and the latter quietly handed him a syringe. Taking the utensil in his hand, the presidential man then stepped towards Rinoa.

Joining Squall and Caraway, Laguna knelt down alongside the Galbadian Commander and promptly proceeded to inject the needle into Rinoa's shoulder. Caraway watched, a faint look of horror on his face, as the clear chemical steadily flowed out of the tiny tube and into the sorceress' body.

"What are you doing to her?!" he admonished. His previously fearful expression now burned with anger, eyes glaring at Laguna in regards to the sudden event.

Laguna didn't respond, waiting patiently for the chemical to completely drain before removing the needle from Rinoa's flesh. He then silently rose to his feet, holding the syringe needle up while he stared down at the unconscious girl.

Squall and Caraway looked down at Rinoa again, the sorceress seeming unresponsive as she remained completely still between the two men. They watched her closely, eagerly, a hopeful look in their eyes while they waited, desperately, for some sort of reaction.

Finally, it happened: a faint sign of life within Rinoa as Squall felt her quiver slightly against his arm, an action that instantly elicited an astonished look from the SeeD. Now, watching closer, Squall and the others soon heard a weak grunt emerge from Rinoa's lips, and her face clenched.

After a brief struggle, Rinoa's eyes fluttered open, and Squall was able to catch a glimpse of their beautiful, dark brown shade. She lay there silently in his arms for a moment, staring up at the SeeD weakly. It was actually working: Laguna's injection had successfully counteracted Odine's, and Rinoa was regaining consciousness right before their eyes.

Using all of her effort, Rinoa now slowly lifted her arm towards Squall. It trembled visibly as it moved, and she gradually lifted it towards his face.

"…Squall….?" she asked, her voice nearly a whisper in her feeble state.

Squall nodded lightly in response, a faint smile forming on the SeeD's face while he stared back at her thankfully.

His reaction elicited the same response from Rinoa, and a weak smile was quick to form before her arm suddenly dropped to the ground again. She abruptly turned her head away, and her eyes quickly closed, the sorceress instantly losing consciousness again and she lay still in Squall's arms once more.

The drastic turn of events struck fear and confusion within the brunette, and Squall felt his heart stop for a moment, his relief quickly turning into panic as he stared down at the sorceress.

"Rinoa?" he asked, shaking her rigidly, "Rinoa!"

His head shot up, the SeeD immediately eyeing Laguna apprehensively.

"What's wrong with her?!" he wondered, aloud. There was a demanding tone in his hysteria, Squall's eyes locked intently on Laguna's while he eagerly awaited an explanation.

"Don't worry," Laguna replied, calmly, "That brief consciousness just means it's working. She should be fine now."

He smiled at Squall in assurance of his words. Squall ignored his gesture, however, still cautious towards such a claim and looked down at Rinoa again. Upon close inspection, the SeeD was surprised to discover that her previously blank and lifeless expression now appeared relaxed, tranquil. Her skin had even regained hints of color already, and her body temperature now felt warmer. She just seemed so content, as if she were slumbering peacefully in his arms this time.

Squall felt relief sweep over him again while he watched Rinoa sleep for a moment. It was the best feeling he'd had in a long time. In spite of everything that had happened over the past few days, all of the fear and stress they had endured at the hands of Deling and Odine, they had finally done it: they had saved Garden, and Balamb, from complete destruction, and successfully ended the two men's intentions at every attempt to overpower them. In the end, he had managed to keep his promise to Rinoa and help free her from the fears of her powers; of herself. He was completely elated, his gratitude beyond that of words or thought.

Their hardship now over, and Rinoa finally recovering, Squall caressed her close to him before gently lifting her off the ground again. She lay calmly in his grasp, her head rested against the SeeD's shoulder while she remained at rest. Squall exhaled in content, cracking another faint smile at the sight.

He slowly lifted his head towards Laguna, eyeing the elder man closely. Though he was hesitant to say it, Squall couldn't deny Laguna's vital role in it all. Despite their differences, and the SeeD's personal feelings towards the President, the man had still willingly put himself in the midst of the storm in order to help them. Even after being wrongfully accused of allying against Balamb, he had taken the tension and resent in stride and come to their aid when they needed it most. He had proven where his loyalties lay through it all – and, as much as Squall wanted to take the credit, in the end, Laguna was the one truly responsible for saving Rinoa. He just couldn't bring himself to overlook the man's obvious integrity.

"Thank you…Laguna." he uttered. He had sounded so serious when he spoke, almost unconvincing, but Laguna had detected the honesty in his words. While Squall's aloof nature made him seem sarcastic at times, when he expressed his appreciation…he really meant it.

He smiled lightly in acceptance of the stoic brunette's gratitude, and Squall quietly walked off, leaving Laguna, and his companions behind as he headed inside Garden with Rinoa.

_***Author's Note* - 3 updates in a month! It's been a while since I've pulled that off. There's one more chapter still, for anyone who couldn't tell, lol.**_


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